Guardians of Light
by jensfire
Summary: FINISHED! Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker team up to investigate a spice lord suspected in the hijacking of one of Talon Karrde's ships. Action, comedy, love and banter, this story has something for everyone.
1. Default Chapter

**Search for the Lost Ones (Guardians of Light)**

_by Jensfire_

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I'm not making a cent off of them, and I'm poor, so please don't sue. All hail the great Star Wars gods George Lucas and Timothy Zahn. None of this would be possible without them. 

The rating for this story...well, who the hell am I to tell you what is acceptable or not? Why subjugate my story to an arbitrary system that merely spoils the surprise of whether or not the characters have sex or get killed? So I am forced to give this piece an R rating ... for now. That may change, it may not. Read and see. 

Author's Note: This is a first attempt at a fan fiction, so make it memorable. Review my story! Tell me what you honestly think. While flames may not be the most constructive of criticisms, I can take it. 

Summary: A ship from Talon Karrde's fleet has been hijacked and all crew and cargo has disappeared except for an artifact with ancient Jedi markings on it. Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker team up to investigate a drug lord's rim world fortress. This simple hijacking turns into a race to save the future of the Jedi and fans the sparks already flying between our two heros. This is a slightly Alternate Universe where everything up through Children of the Jedi is cannon, more or less. Everything after that is free game to warp and twist at my pleasure. 

**Prologue**

Ensign Glamis stumbled as the small freighter lurched under the onslaught of laser fire, his heart pounded in his ears louder than the blasts pounded against the hull. Images of his mother smiling proudly at the space station on Muldovie VII as she bade him farewell flitted through his brain, but he pushed those thoughts away. He fought down the urge to panic and kept a steady but rapid pace toward the escape pods. 

He had no idea where the other ship had come from. Suddenly, the Nocturnal Prowler had been pulled from hyperspace into the awaiting jaws of a strike-class star destroyer. Only three months into his job, it had been the first enemy he had come in close proximity to. He had not had much time to think about it, because the captain had hurriedly pulled him aside and shoved a package in his hands with strict orders to see that it got to Yavin IV. 

Now Glamis ran helter-skelter down the narrow corridors toward the escape pods. He passed several officers from the small crew. No one paid the young man any attention as they were set about their tasks of getting out of this scrape alive. 

The lights dimmed briefly and except for a few clunking noises, all was silent. Glamis may have been inexperienced, but he surmised that his ship was about to be boarded. He felt no joy when he was proven right by a blaster bolt through his shoulder. The burning pain threw him to the floor, but pure adrenaline powered by fear picked him back up and he ran as fast as he could down the corridor. Behind him, armed men poured through the small doorway shooting anything that moved in their path. 

He came to a closed blast door and frantically punched in his clearance code to open it. He hadn't even entered the second number when another blaster shot tore into his side. He was bleeding profusely now, and fell to the floor leaving a streak of crimson on the control panel. The invaders reached him seconds later and commenced kicking and beating him until his world turned black. 

Through the smoke and blaster charred bodies, two storm troopers escorted Captain Solaire to his private communications room. Solaire did not put up a struggle. He knew that he would not have gotten very far unarmed against a couple of storm troopers with blasters. But he tried to maintain an appropriate level of dignity and disdain for the morale of his officers who still remained among the living. The troopers shoved him unceremoniously into the room and locked the door. 

Solaire straightened to his full height, and the troopers retreated to stand guard at the door. In the corner, he noticed an Imperial officer eyeing him warily. Waiting on the communications console, stood a miniature figure dressed in the Imperial uniform of a vice admiral. 

"Has the package been delivered?" Vice Admiral Pellaeon inquired. 

"Yes, sir," Solaire replied respectfully. "One of my men has been allowed to escape in one of the escape pods, though he was badly wounded and I fear he will not make it to Yavin IV." 

"Excellent. The ensign is of no consequence to me. Skywalker will follow the clues I have left for him. You have done well, Captain." 

"Yes, well, I expect to be greatly compensated for my part in this little game. Karrde will have my head when he discovers what I have done to his shipment." 

"Of course." The vice admiral nodded slightly, and belatedly Solaire realized it was aimed toward the officer in the corner. He had only made a half turn toward his assailant when a blaster bolt burned a hole through his chest. The impact slammed him against the console before gravity took him to the deckplating. "Consider the bill paid. Lieutenant!" 

The officer stood at attention. "Yes, sir!" 

"Prepare the ship for the jump to lightspeed. I will transmit the coordinates." 

"Yes, sir," the lieutenant responded crisply and hurried out the door to navigation. 

Slowly, the world came crashing back on Glamis with painful reality. He groaned as he tried to open his eyes. Suddenly, he jolted awake. In front of him, he could see the Prowler and her attacker. He realized that he was in a small shuttle, but he had no idea how he got there. Before he could digest that one, the two ships jumped into hyperspace. 

Something dug into his side. Feeling gently around that side of his body, he discovered the package the captain had given him. Slowly, he recalled his mission to deliver the package to Yavin IV. 

Glamis reached for the navcomputer and suddenly spasmed as the movement caused thousands of knives to slash through his stomach and rib cage. His wounds had not completely cauterized, and from the beating he had received before blacking out, he surmised that he probably also had some internal bleeding. He knew he would not make it to the Jedi Academy without medical attention. 

Grimacing, he checked the star charts and chose a course that would take him to one of Karrde's contacts on Abregado-rae. He had done a couple of jobs for the smuggler in years past, and though Karrde did not operate entirely on the right side of the law, Glamis knew that he had had past dealings with the Jedi master and could usually be trusted. Karrde would be able to contact Skywalker and deliver the package. 

Before pulling back on the hyperdrive levers, Glamis sent out a wide-banned distress signal in hopes that the authorities would be able to find his crewmates. Then he once again succumbed to the blissful nothingness of unconsciousness. 

Chapter 1

Talon Karrde looked up from his datapad as Mara Jade breezed through the doorway into his temporary office without bothering to knock. She favored him with a friendly smile, a rarity from the Master Trader, as she plopped into a cushioned chair across from his desk and crossed her finely shaped legs. Well, she's in an awfully cheerful mood, he noted regarding her glittering green eyes and smug grin. 

"Hello, Mara," he greeted. "I'm glad you could make it." 

"Well, I happened to be on my way here anyway," she replied breezily and glanced around the office. Karrde's eyebrows rose slightly in curiosity, but she ignored the questioning gaze he aimed at her. "Nice setup you've got here." Karrde's office was sparsely decorated with only a few cherished pieces of artwork he had picked up along his travels. All were easily removable for the next time he decided to pack up and depart for his next secret location. "Not exactly lying low these days, are you? You're losing your touch, Karrde. I found you in under two days this time." 

He shrugged off the light admonition. "Okay, so give. What have you been up to? You look like the Torgorian who ate the Mynock." 

Mara feigned innocence for a few seconds, but was unable to control the grin that spread across her face. "Well, you know that little dip in profits you were experiencing last month?" 

Karrde nodded quizzically as she rose from the chair and strode into the outer office. A few seconds lapsed, then suddenly a middle-aged man was nearly hurtled through the doorway with a sharp yelp. The prisoner managed to regain his balance and walked with a significant limp over to one of the other chairs. His eyes refused to meet Karrde's astonished expression, and he gingerly sat down in dejection. Mara reentered, the smug smile from before replaced with a stern, all-business look, although her eyes still glittered brightly. Karrde gaped at the man in the chair, his former associate. 

"What is going on here?" he demanded, anger and betrayal seething through his clenched teeth. 

"Korban here has been making a few extra credits on the side," Mara explained. "Seems he's been skimming the till, so to speak." 

"What?!" While he was generally considered ruthless when it came to smuggling and profits, Karrde had always thought himself more than generous with his associates' salaries. The idea that one of them would take advantage of his generosity made his blood boil. "How much?" 

The prisoner visibly winced when he heard the barely subdued wrath behind Karrde's words. Seeing that Korban was going to continue his silence, Mara proceeded with the charges. "Sixty thousand." Karrde's jaw dropped at the exorbitant amount. 

"Why would you do this, Korban?" he demanded. "I've always given you more than fair salary for hauling cargo." 

Some of the steel returned to the wounded smuggler as he stared coldly first at Mara, then at Karrde. "Well, maybe I'm tired of just haulin' cargo for big shots like you!" he spat. "I could run this ramshackle organization a helluva lot better 'n you anyway." Suddenly he sprang up from the chair and bolted for the open doorway in a desperate last attempt at freedom. But Mara had sensed him twitching long before he tried his getaway. Before the man had taken more than three steps, Mara had drawn her blaster in one smooth motion, aimed and squeezed the trigger. 

The ringing in Karrde's ears was soon replaced by the wailing moans of the man crumpled on the floor halfway to the door. He rocked back and forth cradling his foot where the red bolt of energy had pierced through his boot and into his flesh. 

"Mara!" Karrde exclaimed, rising from his chair. Sometimes his short-tempered associate took things one step too far. 

"What?" she replied, exasperated. "It was on a low setting." 

"You could've just stunned him." 

"Nah, what fun is that?" She bent down and half-dragged Korban back into the outer office. 

Karrde's aide stood aside with a slightly amused grin as he had witnessed the entire fiasco through the open doorway. "Nice shot," he whispered to Mara. 

Mara merely snorted and deposited her load on the floor. "Go find someplace to stash him until Karrde decides what to do with him," she ordered. 

The aide flicked a glance to Karrde who nodded an affirmative and sank back into his chair with his head in his hands. He began to rub away the headache that was forming at his temples. Mara's jumpsuit rustled slightly as she strode into the office once more and closed the door. "So what else did you do the man?" he asked warily. 

"Oh, nothing, sprained his shoulder, broke his leg, shot him in the foot," Mara shrugged innocently and reholstered her blaster. 

"All for trying to rip me off?" he stared at her incredulously. 

"No. He thought we'd make a cute couple. I disagreed." She paused as Karrde unsuccessfully tried to smother a laugh. Knowing Korban, he had probably pushed his advances one step too far, and the result was the crumpled mess that had just been carried out of here. "One more bacta session and he'll be as good as new," she continued waving her hand dismissively. "So, anyway, why did you summon me?" 

Karrde spread his hands flat on the desk and leaned forward conspiratorially. It wasn't really necessary as the walls were sound proof, but old habits die hard. "We've got more serious problems than skimming smugglers. Last week, we received a distress call from one of our shipping transports. Apparently, the ship and all her crew were hijacked by an Imperial Strike-class cruiser." Mara's eyes narrowed dangerously. "We don't know exactly who was behind it, but we've ruled out pirates as the hits seemed to be more precise than a random pirate assault." 

"What was the cargo?" 

"That's the baffling part. It was carrying a cargo of ancient artwork and artifacts from a couple of archeological collections that have been put up for sale. Priceless in their own right, but difficult to resell. The pieces are one of a kind and, therefore, easily traceable." 

"Not very lucrative from a business angle. There aren't many art collectors who go for the stolen merchandise market. Takes all the fun out of showing off your collection," Mara added pensively chewing on her lower lip. 

"There's more," he added. "Three days ago one of the crewmen turned up on Abregado-rae with an artifact that bore what looked like ancient Jedi markings on it." 

Mara looked up sharply. "What does he have to say about it?" 

"Nothing. He managed to stay alive long enough to exit hyperspace in-system, but by the time we got to him, he was dead. Looks like he had taken quite a beating, too." 

"I guess that rules him out as being behind the hijacking." 

"The Jedi markings are the only thing I can think of that would make them valuable enough for someone to steal," Karrde mused. 

"Do you have any other suspects?" 

"There was a guy snooping around here a few months back when the sale first became public. He adamantly wanted the pieces, but I had already made a deal with someone else. I wasn't very keen on the idea of doing business with the likes of him anyway. There is no concrete evidence of course, but rumor from the Outer Rim has it that he has a fortress on a planet in the Adega system and is a big trafficker of spice, not the soft kind either. This stuff could kill a Wookiee if improperly administered. Also, my sources say he dabbles in the flesh trade off and on." 

"So you want me to go check it out for you." It was a statement more than a question. She steepled her fingers in what he often characterized as Mara's pensive pose and began performing mental calculations for the mission. 

"I would appreciate it, but -" Karrde broke off suddenly. This was going to be tricky. He braced himself for the onslaught of scathing remarks that he was sure he'd receive after this. He just hoped words would be all that she threw at him. 

" 'But' what?" Mara prompted suspiciously. 

He took a deep breath and continued. "I don't want you to go alone. It's too dangerous." He threw her a stern, almost fatherly look at her as she began to angrily puff out, preparing to wage war with anyone who questioned her abilities. 

"I can take care of myself," she seethed in a low voice. Her eyes became hard, dark and ominous. He grimaced as her nails constricted on the soft wood of the desk leaving four shallow gouges. Angering Mara was never a good idea. 

"I know," Karrde tried to appease her, "You have more than proven that over the years. But only one crewman of the hijacked ship ever came back, and he died shortly after. Most likely they've all been killed. And you should know better than anyone that whenever anything Jedi is involved, the risk of the mission more than triples. I don't want you going in there without someone watching your back." He bravely reached across the desk to place his hand atop hers in what he hoped was a peaceful gesture. She violently jerked away and regarded him stonily. He sighed and wondered briefly if she contained any softness whatsoever behind that hard head of hers. "You are my best associate, Mara, and a good friend. I just don't want to lose you." 

She looked away without a word. That was a good sign. He bit back a smile. A frustrated sigh escaped her before she responded. "Well, it is a long trip out to Adega," she conceded. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have some company on the trip. So who do you have in mind?" 

"Well, that's another problem," Karrde said hesitantly. "You see, I don't really have anyone to spare at the moment." 

"Then why did you bring it up in the first place?" Mara nearly shouted. 

He wondered briefly if a desk would be adequate protection against a Mara storm. "I also thought that maybe having a Jedi along would increase our chances of discovering any deceptions in our dear Guru." 

Mara's eyes widened as she caught his meaning. Emphatically shaking her head, she replied, "Oh, no. No. Uh-uh. No way. Forget it!" 

"I thought you'd become friends with Skywalker since the ordeal with the Solos on Corellia. I'm sure he'd help out if you asked him -- nicely. In fact, since this does concern the Jedi, he would probably jump at the opportunity." 

"No, you don't understand. He's in no shape to go on an undercover mission. He's receded back into that black abyss he calls a brain. Again. Last I heard, he was moping around Yavin IV like some lovesick puppy, being all black and gloomy and generally annoying all the students. And all over some selfish, body-snatching twit of a woman who was supposed to have died decades ago. It's been nearly six years for Force sake!" 

Karrde stared at her in disbelief and a bit of amusement. Mara was generally a woman of little words. To hear her rant at such length about anything was surprising to say the least. He eyed her slyly. "So how long have you been keeping tabs on Skywalker, anyway?" That earned him an icy glare. Wrong thing to say, Karrde. 

"I'm not keeping tabs on him. I--," she paused for a split second, "-have my sources." 

"Well, maybe this mission will help take his mind off of whatever, or whoever, is bothering him," he offered. "Even a distracted Jedi is better than no Jedi at all." 

Mara only humphed in reply. A full minute of silence ensued as she seemed to be waging an internal battle. Finally, she muttered what Karrde thought to be a curse and rose determinedly from her seat. "All right, I'll go warm up Jade's Fire and set course for Yavin IV." She pivoted and stomped toward the door. "But I will not be responsible if he doesn't survive the flight," she called over her shoulder. 

Karrde erupted in a short burst of laughter as he remembered the state Korban had been brought out in. What have I gotten the poor kid into? Then turning serious, he called back, "Mara, be careful!" 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As Mara began shutting down her ship's systems, she asked herself again why she had come to Yavin IV. Spending quality time with Luke Skywalker ranked right up there on her list of fun ways to pass the time with watching a Gamorrean eat dinner. The man was insufferable. If he wasn't constantly nagging her to complete her Jedi training, he was wandering around with a black cloud hanging over his head. 

She remembered seeing holos of the young Jedi before and during the war. He had been young, idealistic and naive, but he had a fire inside him that made him instantly likable. So full of life and raw emotion. Ready to take on the entire Empire single-handed. Then Darth Vader came. Skywalker was never the same after Cloud City. He lost more than just his hand that fateful day he learned his father was alive and second-in-command of the Empire he and the rebels were trying to overthrow. 

War tends to make people grow up fast. Though Skywalker lost much of his boyish exuberance, he still held on to his idealistic views of the galaxy. He believed everyone could be saved. Always exuding his aggravatingly calm, mature and reserved demeanor, he believed and fought for a better galaxy. He maintained his optimism for several years after the Battle of Endor, through the Crime Lord Wars, Grand Admiral Thrawn and the dark Jedi Master Cy'Both. Until Callista. 

The day Callista left, Skywalker lost whatever small shred of optimism he still held for the galaxy. He became moody, despondent and depressed. He shut himself away from everyone, even his family, for months at a time only to resurface briefly to once again save the galaxy from power-hungry individuals set on destroying the New Republic the Alliance had worked so long and hard to rebuild. 

Skywalker's pain and loss were palpable. They stung Mara as if it were her own pain she was feeling. This was yet another reason she had stayed as far from Yavin as possible. She yawned. When was the last time she had gotten a decent night's sleep? For several months, sleep seemed to come easy enough to her, but as soon as she felt herself drift off, she found herself in the midst of terrifying nightmares. She hadn't had nightmares like those since she had finally purged the Emperor from her brain. She suspected that Skywalker probably had something to do with that too. 

As Mara descended the landing platform, she spotted a familiar form striding toward her. She allowed herself a small smirk. Even 15 years after the war, 11 years of marriage and three kids, Han Solo still hadn't lost his characteristic strut. Mara noticed another smaller figure following close behind him trying to imitate her father's carefree swagger. 

"Hey, Mara!" Han called to her. "I thought I heard your ship was docking here." 

"Hello, Solo," she replied with a slight upturn of her lips. "So what brings you here?" 

"Ah, you know, I was on my way to pick up Anakin from his camping trip on Agamar, thought I'd check up on the squirt twins since it was on my way." He gave his daughter's hair a small ruffle. 

"Dad!" There was no mistaking the half-warning, half-pleading note in the girl's voice. Her deep brown eyes glared up at her father. She looked almost exactly like Leia at her age. He shrugged it off. 

"You've turned into quite the house-husband, Solo," Mara taunted him. 

"Hey," he exclaimed with a look of wounded pride. "I'll have you know that I am still the same scoundrel I always was." 

"Take it easy, Solo. Look, people change. It's not a crime." An awkward silence fell on the group. The past few years had seen a definite softening in attitude toward her, but she still didn't feel entirely comfortable around Solo. She suspected that he still did not fully trust her not to kill his brother-in-law. She turned her attention to the girl at his side. "So, Jaina, how are you?" 

The girl grinned but quickly tried to subdue it, playing it cool. "Fine. It sounds like you've integrated the new JB-14 thrusters into the Fire's engine manifolds. She should be able to flip on speck of space dust." 

Mara's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She could tell Jaina was trying to impress her with her knowledge of ship systems, and to be honest, she did just that. The JB-14s weren't even out on the market yet, but Jaina seemed to know all about them. She was quick. Mara gave her a small smile. "Maybe you'd like to help me pilot on my next shipment run." 

This time Jaina couldn't contain the gleeful expression that spread across her face. Hers was a look of awe, surprise and honor wrapped up into one dark-haired ten-year-old who desperately wanted to impress Mara with how grown-up she was. 

If Jaina was surprised at the offer, Mara was completely shocked at herself. She didn't let anyone fly Jade's Fire. If she had two broken legs, was blind, and her hands were amputated, she would still refuse to let anyone touch her precious ship. For some unknown reason, she had developed a soft spot for the kid standing in front of her who had developed a kind of hero worship of her. She glanced at the girl in front of her and realized she wouldn't be a kid for very much longer. 

"Maybe in a few years," Han interrupted, ignoring the pleading look from his daughter. "So what brings you here anyway? Have you finally decided to throw in with these crazy wizards?" 

"Hardly," she snorted. Solo never took the Jedi very seriously. He believed in doing things the old-fashioned way. If you needed a tool to fix the hyperdrive, you carried the toolbox to the access hatch. You didn't levitate it. For that Mara had a grudging respect for him. "I came to see Skywalker about something." 

"Well, I don't think Master Sunshine is taking visitors today," Solo quipped. He quickly turned serious. "You know, I love the kid, but sometimes I think I could have better conversations with a rock. I may not be Force-sensitive, but the kid has got doom and gloom written all over his face. And frankly, I'm not sure how to snap him out of it." 

"I can feel it, too," Jaina piped up. "Like there is this darkness that hovers all around him." 

"Do you think he is falling to the dark side?" Mara asked immediately concerned. 

"I don't think so," she replied. She absently brushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear and her eyes took on that far-away look Skywalker often had. "He just feels lost. Not in the Lightside or the dark side, but somewhere in between, in a kind of fog." 

Mara nodded. She had been receiving the same feelings from Skywalker since she entered the Yavin system. Even from across the galaxy she had been picking up ripples in the Force that felt like little cold shocks against her brain. Not one to stand around debating an issue, she immediately moved toward a solution. "So what are we going to do about it?" 

"Leia keeps telling me just to give him some time and space," Han replied. "She says he'll come around, but I doubt she believes it." 

"Maybe it's time to stop babying him," she replied rather sharply. "Maybe what he needs is a good kick in the -" she stopped herself at Solo's warning look. "I'll see you later." She took off at a brisk pace toward the Great Temple. 

* * * *

Luke drummed his fingers despondently on his desk, his mind wandering from whatever Tionne was telling him. Lately, it had been becoming more and more difficult to concentrate on anyone or anything. Part of him reprimanded himself for showing such lack of control over his senses and emotions. As the founder of the Jedi Academy, he should set a good example for the others. The other part of him just didn't care anymore. A soft voice inside his head whispered seductively that they didn't really need him here anyway. There were several masters now to teach the apprentices. Even the mundane grind of paperwork and supply maintenance ran smoothly without his supervision. Tionne kept up that end of the Jedi Academy running smoothly and efficiently. He could leave right now, and it wouldn't make one bit of difference. But where could he go? Coruscant? No, he didn't want Leia fidgeting over him night and day, as she had already tried to do the last time he made a visit. He slowly became aware that Tionne had asked him a question, several times. 

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. What did you say?" He said lamely. He felt himself color slightly under Tionne's miffed scrutiny. She was doing an admirable job controlling her emotions, he thought absently, but he could tell that underneath the calm was a strong desire to throw something at him. He didn't mean to be so rude to his staff. After all they were more than his staff members and students, they were his friends and comrades. 

He sat up straighter and tried to appear interested as he ran an eye over the report she had handed him. Apparently she saw through the act, because she raised her hands in frustration, whirled on her heel and stormed out of his office muttering something about figuring it out for himself. He couldn't blame her for being angry. It seemed like that was the only reaction he got from anyone who wandered across his path these days. 

He sighed, fell back against his chair and ran a tired hand over several days worth of the growth on his face. As he had done so often in the last few months - years? - he pulled from his desk an aging holo of a woman with shoulder length, ash-blond hair on his desk. To everyone else, the face of Cray Mingla stared back at them, a haunting memory of what occurred on that ancient ship so long ago. To Luke, it was the face of his lost love Callista. He didn't understand why everyone else couldn't see the obvious differences between the two women. He had studied every line, every curve of her face, but it disturbed him how, much like the old holo, the image in his mind was slowly losing resolution. It became increasingly difficult as time passed to remember the exact shade of gray her eyes were. He could no longer imagine the smell of the fruity fragrance she often wore. 

He rested his elbows on the dark wood and placed his head in his hands, the familiar, gnawing ache in his chest flaring to life for the billionth time. Why couldn't you stay and fight this thing? We could've beaten it together. Like the holo and his memory of her, his hope that Callista would return was fading fast. 

As he began to replace the holo in the drawer, another holo caught his eye, this one even more aged and worn. Gaeriel. A fresh wave of sadness washed over him. He had loved her, too, though he had excepted long ago that they could not be together. Though that did little to easy the pain of her recent death. He still cared deeply for her. Her death left a small hole in his chest and a small orphan back on her homeworld. It was all so senseless. 

Gaeriel would never be coming back. Callista probably never would either. He had to give up that dream and force himself to accept the bitter reality: Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is destined to remain alone, a hermit like Ben and Yoda, with only his sister's family for comfort and companionship. The same phrases repeated in his mind so many times that often he thought he would go crazy from being powerless to block them out. 

"When you're finished with all the self-pity crap, I have a mission for you." 

The familiar, sharp voice pierced through his thoughts, and he jerked upright to see Mara Jade standing in the doorway. Tionne had forgotten, or had not bothered, to shut the door when she left. He felt anger and irritation rise at having someone, especially Mara Jade, break in on his private thoughts. More than that, he was angry with himself for allowing her to startle him. He should have felt her through the Force as soon as she entered the system. He growled audibly. He was in no mood at the moment to deal with that hotheaded woman. Glaring irately at her, he used the Force to slam the door in her face and lock it. He got some satisfaction at hearing her surprised and incensed cry of fury. 

On the other side of the door, Mara thought steam was going to come out of her ears. How dare he?! She raised a balled fist and fiercely pounded on the door. "Skywalker, I want to talk to you!" She shouted angrily. 

"Go away, Mara!" she heard clearly through the door. 

She tried to manually open the door, but found it locked. She beat at the old-fashioned wooden obstacle before her. "Skywalker, open the damn door!" Her thundering voice echoed through the ancient Massassi corridors bringing several students and teachers to peer anxiously from other rooms and around corners. This was getting ridiculous. Why did she care anyway? She should just leave the dumb blockhead to his miserable wallowing and continue on her way. She shook the thought away. Muttering colorful vocabulary in more languages than most of the residents of Yavin IV had ever heard, she backed a few steps away from the door, drew her blaster and fired at the lock. The sturdy door remained standing, but the lock was now a molten mass of metal. In one aggressive kick, the wooden obstacle flew over a meter into the room and crashed with a loud bang onto the floor. 

Skywalker, now standing, stared at her open mouthed from behind his desk, too shocked for a second to say anything. Boots clacking over the fallen barricade, Mara stormed into the office, her red-gold hair flying about her head wildly and her emerald green eyes spitting venomous fire at the Jedi Master. He unconsciously stepped backwards as she advanced on him. 

"Now if you've finished with your little temper-tantrum, Skywalker, I have a proposition for you," she said in a voice that was deadly calm. 

His face flushed scarlet as the shock of her entrance wore off to be replaced by pure rage. Mara was momentarily surprised out of her momentum to see such a rare emotion for the Jedi so blatantly displayed on his features. Her brow furrowed as she remembered how he had jumped when she first spoke. That struck her as odd. He should've been able to sense her from orbit. 

Skywalker opened his mouth to make an angry retort, but Mara cut him off. "Why don't you go meditate or something. You look like you need it. When you are ready to talk to me like a civilized human being, come find me." She whirled on her heel and charged out of the office. She continued down the corridors ignoring the fear and amazement etched on every face that had witnessed that little scene. 

"What, so now you're sending me to my room?!" she heard Skywalker yell after her. Her spine stiffened, but she kept walking. Maybe a short stroll in the jungle would do my own nerves some good. Without looking back, she took off for the steaming green foliage. 

* * * * *

Mara's short stroll turned into a several hour-long hike. She hadn't realized how much tension she had let build up inside her. It all exploded out with each stomp of her foot or annoyed swat of her arm as she pushed a pesky branch out of her path. She could hear frightened animals scurry out of her path as she crashed through the jungle. 

She was protected from the direct rays of the sun beating down on the jungle by the dense foliage of the trees. Still, the heat was almost unbearable. Moisture in the air wrapped around her body like a soft, wet blanket making breathing more laborious. She had long ago shrugged off her flight jacket and tied it around her waist, though it did little to slow the beads of sweat that rolled down her face, back and chest. Her olive green tank top became a damp dark green and clung to her skin. For what must have been the hundredth time, she brushed her hair back from her face and wished she had thought of bringing a canteen of water. 

This time her prayer was answered as the sweet music of rushing water came to her ears. Turning off the path she had created, Mara crawled down a steep embankment and found herself on the rocky bank of a small river. Smiling for the first time since her encounter with Skywalker, she hopped gracefully over the rocks to the small waterfall, plunged her hands into it's cool current and drank heartily. 

"You'd better hope some animal didn't die upstream and pollute the water." 

This time it was Mara's turn to be startled. In the process, she swallowed wrong and began to spasmodically cough. Skywalker jumped off his rock and ran over to give a few hard thumps on her back. "Don't ever ... do that to me ... again!" she sputtered, regaining her breath. 

"Sorry." 

She pushed away from him and sat down on a large, flat rock that was partly sitting in the river. "Oh, don't worry about it," she muttered. She peeled off her black, knee-high black boots and carelessly threw them by a tree farther up the bank. Then rolling up her khaki colored trousers, she plunged her feet and calves into the welcoming cool water and released a contented sigh. She laid back on the rock, closed her eyes and soaked up the rays of the sun. She tried to pretend Skywalker was not there, but she could feel his eyes following her every movement. Why doesn't he just come out and say whatever it is he wants to say? 

As if he heard her thought, he cleared his throat to speak. "Uh, Mara?" 

She opened one eye to peer at him inquiringly. He seemed a bit flustered as he concentrated on the rocks. For the first time since she landed, she took in his disheveled appearance. His sandy blond hair hadn't been cut in what looked like months and fell in a wild disarray into his eyes. His face looked like it hadn't seen a good shave in over a week. She wondered how he didn't bake alive wearing his black Jedi robes out in the jungle. 

He abruptly stopped fidgeting and eyed her quizzically. But all he said was, "I want to apologize for earlier. I shouldn't have slammed the door in your face. I'm sorry." She remained silent, so he continued. "You just sort of surprised me." 

At that last comment, she sat up and looked directly at him. "And that's why you nearly blew up like an enraged Wookiee?" she asked trying to keep her voice merely inquisitive. She knew she'd failed when he glanced at her sharply, defensively. Trying to soften her tone, she added, "You surprised me, too. I thought Jedi Masters were always in control of their emotions." 

"Yeah, well, I've been distracted lately. So what was this about a mission?" he asked, and Mara noted, quickly changing the subject. Well, he wasn't getting off that easily. 

"I think it's more serious than that," she began. "Look, I don't want to pry, but these little outbursts really aren't like you. One minute you're the flat, emotionless boob we all know, the next you're this enraged psycho. We really don't need you falling to the dark side over some bad break-up, Skywalker." 

He kept his temper in check, but threw her look a warning look. She should just leave the diplomatic stuff to his sister. "So about this mission," she said quickly. 

Skywalker let the subject drop and sat down on a nearby rock as she related the details of the mission to Adega. His ears perked up eagerly at the mention of the Jedi markings on the artifacts. "Do you have a copy of the markings on the artifacts?" he asked when she had paused for a breath. "I can have Tionne search for any references in our history archives. It wouldn't take long, and we could probably leave as soon as tomorrow morning,". 

She was a little surprised at his barely concealed eagerness to accompany her, especially after their rather tense greeting earlier. "What, no worries over who is going to take care of the Academy?" she exclaimed in mock incredulity. "Damn, you've got it bad this time." 

He eyed her quizzically, "Streen and Tionne can take care of things here. They pretty much run the place anyway." 

"They'll probably throw a big meditation party, or whatever it is you people do for fun, just to see you go." 

"Hey!" 

"Face it, Skywalker, you've been a real annoying nincompoop the past several months, years in my opinion! And I think your Jedi are about to mutiny. I could feel the tension among you and your students from the moment I landed." 

"Speaking of Jedi," he began, fervently trying to direct the conversation away from himself, "when are you going to finally complete your training?" 

"I don't think I want to complete my training," Mara replied after a slight pause. She squirmed slightly under his scrutiny as he waited for further explanation. She turned away from him to study something on the other bank. "The Force only seems to cause people pain. Whenever I used my abilities as the Emperor's Hand, it was always to hurt someone. That someone usually ended up dead by my hand. The Force is just another way to manipulate people." 

"You used it to survive," Luke pointed out. 

"To use the Force as a crutch is even more dangerous." She glanced sharply at him. "You come to depend on it so much that when it's taken from you, you become as helpless as a baby nerf. I give you exhibit A: Myrkr. Exhibit B - oh, never mind." 

Mara could see his face tighten, fighting the urge to lash out at her unspoken observation. She was becoming rather agitated with the conversation as well. It was always the same argument, always with the same outcome. After a few biting words, she flew away. But, she observed wryly, she always seemed to come back for more. That was something Callista never did. She stiffened. Was that my thought or his? 

"The Force is not a crutch, Mara," he continued patiently. "Would you pound a nail into a block of wood with your hand just because one day you might not have a hammer?" 

Mara snickered at his simplistic philosophy. Always the farmboy. 

"The Force is a tool. Like a tool, it does not make us who we are, our actions make us who we are." 

She didn't fully understand why, but something within her snapped. She twisted around and locked on to him with a stormy gaze. She spat, "And what have my actions made me? Or have you forgotten? I was an assassin for the Emperor. I dabbled in the dark side. I even tried to kill you, for sith-sake! I can't believe you would even attempt to try and train me! Don't you think I'm a little too high-risk to really train as a Jedi. Emperor's bones! You've seen my temper without Jedi powers, isn't that scary enough?!" 

She was on a tirade now, but she couldn't stop herself. It all came tumbling out in one fiery breath. And the sympathetic look on Skywalker's face only enraged her more. She didn't need or want his pity. "And are you happy with what you've become? The Lightside of the Force hasn't done much for you but cause you pain. I don't see you happy. You've turned into a miserable, insufferable, righteous, boring... ASS! And all because of the Force. Or should I say some dim-witted blond who put more faith in the Force than she did in the people who use it." 

As soon as the words escaped her lips, she wished she could've have taken at least some of them back. Skywalker looked like he had been slapped in the face. Surprise and hurt rolled off of him in waves. He was completely taken aback by the sudden fury she had unleashed. Her words had stung him in the most vulnerable spot imaginable, and rage flooded through his senses. 

Suddenly she found herself floating in the air as he picked her up with the Force and angrily tossed her into the river. Her momentary remorse was forgotten in the barrage of insults she flung at his back as he stalked out of hearing range toward the Massassi Great Temple. 

Great, Mara, real smooth, she scolded herself as she dragged her waterlogged body from the river. She tried wringing out as much water as possible from her clothing creating a giant puddle at her feet. Well, at least my boots are still dry, she thought only marginally relieved. She sat down on the rock and began tugging on her boots, all the while wondering why in the galaxy she could never keep her temper in check around a certain Jedi Master. He'll probably back out of the mission now. Skywalker's pained expression floated through her memory. She cursed herself and the pang that was eating away at her chest. With an angry grunt, she pushed herself off the rock and began the trek back toward the Academy, lost in her own thoughts. 

It was approaching dusk when Mara returned to the Massassi Great Temple. Most of the students were in the dining hall eating dinner when she entered, still soggy from her little dip in the river. The heat had kept her from getting chilled, but the humidity had made it impossible for her clothes to dry. Mostly she received curious stares, but she noticed a few students grinning into their mixed legumes. Skywalker must have still been really ticked off when he got back here. They probably put two and two together. She cursed the builders of the temple for not constructing a less conspicuous entrance. 

Across the crowded room, her gaze locked with Solo's. His fork was halted in mid-air half-way to his mouth. Sitting next to him, Jacen and Jaina followed their father's gaze to Mara. All three Solos stared at her with amused smiles and barely controlled mirth. Scowling, she stormed through the dining hall and headed for the room Tionne had offered her. She dared anyone to approach her. No one did. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Luke closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. He sat on his pallet in his small room trying to meditate, fighting to find peace. A small tendril of fear crept through his consciousness as he realized it was taking more energy than normal to reach his center of calm. It scared him that he had so little control over his emotions. He couldn't understand how he could've let that woman get under his skin so easily. He didn't have time to muddle over it, because he became aware of another presence at his door. 

"Han, now isn't the best time," he said without opening his eyes. 

He barged into the room anyway. "Well, you know me and my sense of timing," he joked. 

Luke opened his eyes realizing Han was not going to go away until he said what he came to say. He felt tired, drained. 

"You know, I always knew you had a suicidal streak in you, but don't you think you're pushing your luck just a bit?" 

Luke stared at him quizzically. 

He pointed over his shoulder. "I saw the door to your office earlier and then saw Mara a few minutes ago. You know, most people who get on that woman's bad-side end up as Bantha fodder." 

Luke only shrugged his shoulders in reply. 

"So, kid, what's eating you?" That was Han. Straight to the point. Never one to get all mushy, he had assumed a casual attitude, but Luke could feel concern brimming just under the surface. And he doubted it had anything to do with dismemberment by Mara Jade. 

"I just have a lot on my mind." 

"Yeah, I'm not buying. Don't get me wrong, it's actually a relief to know you're still human, but these emotional outbursts are just a little out of the norm for you, don't you think? Not to mention shorten your life expectancy." 

Luke groaned but said nothing. 

"You're not going to do something silly and fall to the dark side or anything, are you?" 

"Never!" It was a knee-jerk reaction, and Luke knew it. And Luke knew that Han knew it. The truth was that he had been having the same thoughts recently. Fear, anger, despair, all were of the dark side. And hadn't he been feeling every one of those emotions? A cold shudder washed through his body, but he shrugged it off. 

"Okay, just checking." Han held up his hands as if to fend off an attack. He paused as if searching for the right words. "I think I understand." 

Now Han had him completely stumped. He didn't even know, himself, why he had been acting the way he had. 

"You know, women are irrational, emotional creatures with or without the Force. And they make every creature around them act and think irrationally, especially men." 

"Huh? Okay, now you've completely lost me. What in the galaxy are you talking about?" 

"Callista." 

"Whoa! Han, stop," Luke pleaded. "I really don't want to talk about Callista." 

"Callista is gone," Han continued, ignoring the warning look Luke threw at him. "Your life isn't even close to being half over and you are living as if ... well you're not living. You've given up on life, pal, and that ain't healthy. It's time to get over this woman and move on with your life before it really is over." 

"Just like that," Luke scowled and snapped his fingers. 

Han leveled his gaze on him. "How many years has it been, Luke? I don't like seeing what this is doing to you, and I don't like seeing how this is affecting Leia and the kids. They're worried sick about you." 

Luke looked away guiltily. He had isolated himself to keep the ones he loved from being affected by him, instead it only seemed to make matters worse. He should have concealed his feelings better. Every Force-sensitive within twelve klicks must've been able to pick up on his inner turmoil. He knew Han was right, and he had to accept that Callista was not going to be a part of his life. But how does one get rid of the loneliness? 

"Even Mara's worried about you," he continued. 

"She said that?" Luke asked surprised. 

"Are you kidding? She'd rather kiss a Wookiee than admit she cares about anything other than business or profit!" Han threw a suspicious look toward his brother-in-law. "You know, despite her past, Mara really is a decent person deep down." 

"Not so deep down," he replied quietly. From the first moment they met and she had wanted to kill him, Luke could sense the good within her, even if she didn't believe it herself. He could feel kindness and loyalty beneath the bluster of her pride. Now he felt guilty about the way he had acted toward her. 

Han watched his brother-in-law's face carefully as he muddled over his thoughts. Then abruptly he turned to go. "Well, it's time I blast out of here. Anakin will be waiting, and I've still got to pick up the nerf steaks for Leia's little dinner party this weekend." He stopped himself with a look of pained surprise. "I really have turned into a domesticated house-husband." 

That drew a small chuckle from Luke. "Send Leia my love." 

"Will do. May your sanity be with you," he added with a lopsided grin. He was almost to the door when he turned around, serious once more. "And Luke, just ask yourself, are you holding on to her because you love her or because you don't want to risk loving anyone else?" 

Before Luke could reply, he had disappeared down the corridor. His last comment struck a cord within him. He closed his eyes and tried meditating once more. Questions swam through his mind in a blur. He couldn't make any sense of them at the moment, but one thing was clear. He needed to regain control. The subject of Callista opened up too many wounds he was not prepared to deal with at the moment, so he buried every feeling he had for her. When the time was right, he would deal with those feelings. 

Now Mara needed his help for her mission. He couldn't let her go alone, especially if some dark jedi or Sith were behind the hijackings. At the thought of her, a pang of guilt swept through him. Once again he found himself in the position of apologizing to possibly the most infuriating woman he had ever met. 

* * * * *

A cool shower and change of clothes did wonders to improve Mara's mood. Standing in front of a large mirror, she twisted her still damp locks away from her face and fastened them with a large clip. She took a long look at herself and the black jumpsuit she had donned while her other clothes were drying. She shook her head ruefully. My wardrobe is getting to be about as imaginative as Skywalker's. That stray thought reminded her of the next, more pressing mission she had to do. She really had been out of line back at the river, but the thought of apologizing to that man absolutely nettled her. Well, she might as well get it over with. 

As she approached Skywalker's room, she felt some of her resolve start to melt and the knot in her stomach harden. Oh, this is stupid! Just go apologize and get it over with. She raised her hand to knock, but a voice on the other side of the door interrupted her. 

"It's not locked, Mara," Skywalker said. His voice sounded strained and tired. "You can use the handle this time." 

Mara colored slightly at the comment. She turned the old-fashioned style handle and nudged the door open. Skywalker sat on his pallet enveloped in his usual black Jedi robes. Geez, does he shower in them too? His eyebrows shot up at her unspoken thought, and he glanced down at his robes, then at Mara's own attire. Apparently finding something funny or ironic, he snorted, and his mouth crooked into a small, brief smile. She kicked herself for being so careless with her thoughts. 

"Come in," he said when she paused in the doorway. 

She walked cautiously across the stone floor, but she held her head high toward the man on the pallet. He almost appeared to be meditating, except his eyes were clearly focused on her. He exuded a calmness about himself that by contrast made Mara uneasy. As there were no chairs in the spartan room, she sat down on the edge of the pallet. 

"Well, Skywalker, I guess it's my turn to say 'I'm sorry'," she said trying to make her voice sound airy and natural. Instead, it came out as a pathetic squeak, for which Mara once again berated herself. "I don't know what got into me back at the river. I shouldn't have said those hurtful things to you," she said all in a rush. She quickly stood to escape before making a complete fool out of herself. 

"You were right," Skywalker's voice floated to her stopping her in her tracks. "About some of it anyway." 

At that moment, she noticed the bag at the foot of the pallet. A rather small valise big enough for a few changes of clothing and whatever personal effects one might need on a journey. She turned to Skywalker in astonishment. "You're still willing to go on the mission with me?" 

The piercing blue eyes bored into her making her cringe. She knew they were not meant to be unkind, but the horrible vacancy in them was terrifying. Something had changed in Skywalker since their talk by the river. His eyes, lately stormy and full of turmoil, were now dull, as if someone had pulled a shade over them. It looked like something had died within him leaving an empty void. Mara wasn't sure what to make of it. 

"It's too dangerous for you to go alone, Mara," Skywalker responded in the same hauntingly quiet voice. "But the topic of Callista is off limits," he warned. 

Mara, usually quick with snide remarks or witty comebacks, only nodded dumbly. She had already done enough damage in that area to last awhile. Murmuring a quick goodnight, she stumbled out of Skywalker's room more than a little spooked. Maybe this mission wasn't such a great idea after all. 

* * * * *

Only 24 standard hours into the journey, Mara thought she was going to have to jettison Skywalker out the airlock. She locked herself in the cockpit of Jade's Fire and stared out into the swirling lights of hyperspace while massaging away the remnants of a headache. From the further recesses of the ship, she could hear Skywalker moving about, grumbling something about temperamental ships and their pilots. That brought an almost amused smile to her lips. He sounded almost like his twin. 

Mara couldn't decide which was worse, the miserable and moping Jedi Master or the argumentative, obnoxious, stubborn goon that had invaded his body. He appeared the morning of their take-off freshly showered and shaved. She thought for a moment she was seeing a younger Han Solo. She had to blink once or twice to make sure her eyes weren't placing funny tricks on her. He even had the same swagger. As per the aforementioned agreement, she said nothing about the new change in attitude, although with each passing second, that resolve was slipping. He refused to take orders, the standing order being never to mess with her ship, and he constantly debated with her over any topic she wanted to discuss. Sometimes she got the sneaking suspicion that he actually enjoyed pissing her off! 

Now whatever gave you that idea? A not-so-mysterious voice teased in her head. 

"Ooh!" Mara fumed realizing she had neglected to keep her mental barriers up. She wasn't sure if she was angrier with herself for letting her guard down, or Skywalker for trespassing. Deciding on the latter, she punched the release button on the hatch to the main hold. She stormed to within a few centimeters of Skywalker and jabbed him sharply in the chest with her finger. "What have I told you about walking around in my head?" she raged. 

"Not to do it," he replied casually. Then he grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around causing her to yelp and elbow him in the stomach. "Ouch! Would you calm down? I want to show you something." He led her over to the beverage unit. 

Mara arched a semi-tolerant eyebrow at him. "Yes?" 

"Try to make something." 

"You fixed it?" Some of the aggression drained from her voice. The latest argument had erupted when she had tried to make a cup of caf that morning and found Skywalker had reprogrammed the unit in an attempt to make some weird kind of energy drink. Not only had she ended up with foul smelling blue juice down the front of her jumpsuit, but the power coupling had burned out as well. Not wanting a repeat of this morning, she placed him in front of her and then punched the command for caf. Much to her satisfaction, a perfectly brewed cup of Reecee caf laced with énize appeared. Always suspicious, she turned to Skywalker with a wicked grin. "Taste it. I want to know it's the real thing and not space sludge." 

Rolling his eyes dramatically, he took a sip of the steaming brew. Mara could barely contain her laughter as his eyes bugged out, and he nearly gagged on the offending concoction. She thought he might have even turned a tinge green. 

Glaring at her, he forced himself to swallow. "I think space sludge adequately describes it," he retorted sourly. "How can you drink this stuff?" 

"I'm impressed, Skywalker," she said between snorts of laughter. Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Not many humans can handle that special brand of caf. Especially, not innocent farm boys such as yourself," she added sweetly, revenge extracted. Point for Mara Jade. She smiled triumphantly and sauntered away drink in hand to sink into the bench at the table set in a corner of the hold. 

"So what's our strategy to get into this fortress?" Luke asked sitting down across the table from her. 

She sipped her caf and nodded toward the cargo hold. "Karrde gave me an artifact he thought Guru might like. We go in, disguise ourselves as not-quite-respectable traders, and while we are negotiating terms, we do a little snooping around. Simple as that." 

"Simple as that?" Luke shook his head in disbelief. "He'll see right through us, not to mention probably recognize us." 

It was Mara's turn to shake her head disparagingly. "That's why we have disguises, smarty pants. And in case they see through our disguises, you can practice all your Jedi stuff by making us appear to be normal, run of the mill smugglers." 

"I've yet to meet a smuggler who fits that description," he retorted. 

"Besides," she added, throwing him a withering look, "you're bland enough to fit in anywhere." Then she let her eyes roam over his Jedi robes and amended her previous statement. "Of course you'll have to change that depressing wardrobe of yours. It's a dead giveaway." 

"What's wrong with my wardrobe," he demanded defensively. 

"Nothing! It's the biggest rage among all the monks of the galaxy," she replied sarcastically. Mara Jade: 2, Skywalker: 0, she repeated to herself vaingloriously. 

"Well, what about you? You're not exactly an unknown, you know, swee-" Luke stopped himself, but not before Mara caught was he was about to say. He really has been spending too much time with Solo, she grunted to herself. She shrugged it off as Luke continued. "Your hair is a dead giveaway," he said mimicking her. 

"Then I guess I'll have to change it," she countered smoothly. Mara Jade: 3, Skywalker: 0! 

Oh, stop keeping score for crying out loud! Luke's voice echoed through her brain. 

Mara nearly screamed in rage for being intruded on again. She could not figure out how he kept breaking through her mental guard so easily. She quickly recovered herself and gave him her classic evil grin. What's the matter, Skywalker, afraid you might lose? she projected at him. Another point for Mara Jade, she cried giddily in her mind as Skywalker was taken aback by her control of telepathic projection. 

"Mara," he said just above a whisper, "you really have a gift in the Force. I can't even hear Leia that well. I wish you would let me train you." 

Mara looked over at him, realizing he was going all serious and - Jedi - again. "Later," she said curtly, ignoring the obvious hope that had entered the Jedi Master's expression. "First, we need to get our roles straight." Luke looked confused for a second. Mara rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Background for our cover, farmboy." 

"Oh," he replied catching on. "Smugglers don't usually work well with others. Most are loners. So how are you gonna explain about me?" He was getting cute again, Mara noted. She fought her ire down. 

"You are my co-pilot," she said tersely. "It's common enough. Just look at Solo and the Wookiee for example." 

"Wouldn't it be easier just to pose as lovers?" Luke asked in seeming innocence. 

Mara nearly choked on her caf. She threw her most poisonous glare at Skywalker. If he had been any other man... Not in this lifetime, lightsabre brain! Within the recesses of her mind, she could hear mischievous laughter. Point for Luke Skywalker! he projected triumphantly at her. 

Mara scowled. Never had she been so easily baited, though she had to admit that was not a typical Jedi Master comeback. Especially coming from possibly the most naive Jedi Master in existence. She needed to change the subject and fast. In a lightning quick decision, she shrugged off her flight jacket, grabbed her lightsabre and stalked toward the middle of the hold. "All right, farmboy, you want to teach me the ways of the Force? Well, let's start with some lightsabre practice." Skywalker gave her a curious look. "I'm feeling rather combative today," she added with a feral snarl. 

Recognizing the open challenge her eyes, Skywalker went for his lightsabre. Before he had even unlatched his weapon, she was upon him, the blue-white beam of Anakin's old lightsabre searching for his blood. The lightsabres met in blinding flashes of energy. She parried and thrust, and he blocked her moves almost effortlessly. 

"You haven't been practicing, have you?" he taunted. 

Anger boiled the blood under her skin. She lashed out with a ferocious cry, coming at him with fierce jabs and slices aimed at his head and knees. He had not tried to attack yet, but she got the small satisfaction of hearing him breath a bit heavier than normal. Their surroundings melted away as they danced the intricate steps of the warrior dance that had been borne into their blood. They spun in flashes of energized light, using all of the cramped space that was available to them. 

It had been painfully obvious from the beginning who would come out of this duel the victor. In a match that pitted seasoned Jedi Master against on again, off again Jedi Apprentice, it was not hard to see whose chances the odds favored. But if he wants to win, Mara told herself, he's gonna have to work for it. 

Nearly a half an hour into the duel, Mara was perspiring and breathing heavily. Skywalker's face remained impassive. He seemed at ease and willing to take his time to conquer his impetuous opponent. The only satisfaction Mara got was the tiny bead of sweat that from time to time rolled down Skywalker's cheek. Mara was beginning to tire from the rapid onslaught of slashes and strokes she had been delivering. Skywalker seemed to sense this and chose to begin his advances. Mara was losing ground fast. The thought of losing and listening to Skywalker's boasting for the next several days gave her enough strength to hold against his advances, but not for long. She soon found herself moving backward again. Her muscles burned under the stress, begging her to abandon this ridiculous show of strength, but her pride refused to give in. 

Skywalker was still advancing on her. He seemed to know her moves even before she did. She concentrated on clearing her mind of all thoughts and let down her mental barrier. If she were to win this battle, it would be with cunning and not brute strength. She found herself up against the wall of the hold with no where to go. Skywalker easily knocked her weapon from her hand. Expecting this maneuver, Mara flooded her senses with fear causing him to stop dead in his tracks. Before he could see through her charade, she side-sweeped him with a powerful kick across his knees knocking him to the floor. Pulling a vibroblade from a hidden pocket in her cargo pants, she pounced on his sprawled body and activated the blade perilously close to his larynx. 

Skywalker lay on the deckplating starring up at Mara in wonder. She was still breathing heavily and shaking slightly from exertion. Slowly, a proud smile stretched across his face as he peered up into her ferocious, feline green eyes still fixed on their prey. Her pupils adjusted as her primordial instincts melted against the modern world that was slowly coming back into focus. "Nice work, Mara," Skywalker praised. "But don't expect that trick to work against me next time." Mara gradually became aware of her knee crushing Skywalker's torso against the floor of Jade's Fire. "Okay, can I get up now?" he teased from beneath her weight. 

Despite the already rosy color on her cheeks from the battle, Mara's face turned a deep crimson as she realized she was nearly straddling Skywalker on the deckplates with a vibroblade against his throat. She hastily deactivated the weapon and scrambled to her feet. Skywalker seemed content to merely prop himself up on his elbow to regard her. 

"I should warn you, Mara," he began gravely, "while acting on your instincts can save your life, lashing out from anger could lead you down the path to the dark side." 

She looked down at him, hands on hips. "Oh, don't be such a sore loser," she chided and reached down a hand to help her opponent off the floor. She made light of the situation, but secretly, she lectured herself for letting her emotions get the better of her. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Mara tossed and turned on her bunk somewhere between asleep and awake. She bordered on the brink of consciousness as the terrifying nightmare that had been plaguing her the last several months returned once again. It was terrifying because she was always helpless to stop the dream or to interact with it, as if she were experiencing it like a bad holofilm that she couldn't turn off, nor turn her eyes from. 

As darkness enfolded itself around her, she felt herself floating high above a swirling, liquid surface. She couldn't move. She was frozen by invisible bonds against a backdrop of cloudy, black nothingness. Rain pounded against her body plastering her hair against her forehead. She had to squint to make out the powerful current that pulled every thing within its reach toward the vortex in the center. A high pitched scream pierced through the blackness. Mara peered into the dark whirlpool, the only speck of light a small ash-blond head bobbing just above the surface. 

Callista struggled frantically toward a tree that stretched out leisurely over the madness churning beneath it. Skywalker dangled precariously from a branch that looked much to thin to carry his weight. Despite the danger, he stretched as far as he could down to Callista, but was a tantalizingly few centimeters too short to catch her. 

"Reach! Don't give up! Try to use the Force, Callista!" he cried. But she seemed not to hear or even see him. 

Mara could feel Skywalker making every effort to pierce through the Force barrier that separated him from his love, but the swirling mass below him only mocked his efforts. A chill colder than the pounding rain turned her blood to ice as an eerie but familiar cackle rose to her ears from the depths of the vortex. She wanted to close her eyes to the next part, dreading what she knew was to come, but her eyelids refused to block it out. She watched as with a terrified shriek, Callista disappeared into the vortex. Skywalker unleashed a loud, mournful wail as he stretched as far as could in one last vain attempt to rescue her. Mara called out to him over the gale blowing about her, knowing that he could not hear her. Finally, the branch could no longer support the stress of carrying his weight and snapped, plunging him into the inky black churning waters of the whirlpool. But before he disappeared, Mara's heart stopped beating as he turned his sorrowful blue eyes up toward her. She could feel him battling himself as he was torn between seeking salvation or surrendering himself to his beloved's fate. 

Mara's eyes flew open, and she bolted upright. A quick glance around her cabin assured her that she was still aboard the Jade's Fire and awake. She wiped at the beads of sweat that had accumulated on her forehead and breathed deeply, trying to slow her racing heartbeat. Her black satin tank top and pants clung to her clammy skin. After what seemed like hundreds of nights of the same dream, the dream had finally changed. He had never been able to see her before. She brought her chin to her knees and muddled over it for several minutes. She was pulled from her thoughts as she thought she heard a strange noise coming from the other cabin. Puzzled, she padded barefoot down the short corridor to the next cabin and listened intently at the portal. Now she could distinctly hear a soft whimpering from the other side. 

Worry filled her voice as she called out softly, "Skywalker?" There was no reply, so she tried again louder. Still no response. Forgetting all notions of privacy, Mara barged into the room and flipped on the lights to find Skywalker thrashing about on his bunk. His face was twisted in a grimace of pain as he was caught in the throes of a frightful nightmare. She rushed over to him and nearly got punched in the eye by a flailing fist. She tried shaking him to wake him up, and when that didn't work, she slapped him across the cheek several times. His face was on fire and sweat glistened on his exposed chest. "Come on, Skywalker, wake up!" 

Mara paused as a sudden insight dawned on her. He was probably having the same dream she had been. In fact, she thought peevishly, he was probably the cause behind several nights of lost sleep for her. Her jaw set determinedly. "Alright, Skywalker, we are going to finish this once and for all." 

She wasn't exactly sure what she was doing or if it would work, but she opened herself up to the Force and trusted it to guide her. She calmed her nerves and took several deep breaths letting the Force flow through her as Skywalker had taught her. Finding calm in her center, she began to concentrate, projecting her mind into the dream. Suddenly, the world around her transformed and she was again floating above the churning waters that were pulling Skywalker under, but this time she could move. She was free, the invisible chains that had kept her prisoner had were broken. Not only could she move, she could fly. To her surprise, a pair of glowing white wings, a dazzling contrast against the black backdrop, spread out behind her. 

Concentrating on the task at hand, she dove down to the surface of the whirlpool. The wind and rain pounded against her face as she strained to make out Skywalker's head above the water. "Skywalker!" she shouted over the sirocco. His eyes widened in surprise at seeing her flying above him, hand outstretched to catch him. "Grab a hold of me, quick!" 

A flood of sorrow flooded Mara's mind, so great that she nearly broke Force contact. She heard his voice rise faintly up to her. "I can't leave her," he nearly sobbed. "I've got to save her." 

"You can't save her, Skywalker," she shouted, trying to keep her frustration from overflowing her senses. "She's gone. All you are going to do is destroy yourself trying." 

He shook his head solemnly. She could hear him repeating his master's words to himself, "Try not, do or do not; there is no try." 

"Well, this is a definite do not! You'll only kill yourself. What good will it do anyone if you die?" 

This time his response did shake her out of the Force link. Not needed? At first, Mara wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. How could he not feel needed or useful? He has that whole stinking academy to run, not to mention his importance to the New Republic and his family. 

Skywalker's muscles had begun to relax, but the lines on his face had only gotten deeper. She knew he was giving up. For a moment, she thought it might be best just to leave him be. Obviously he had woken up from this dream several times in the past, so there was no reason to think he wouldn't wake up this time. He'll wake up and be just fine, she tried to convince herself as she turned toward the door. Until he goes to sleep again and has to wage the same battle all over again, a little voice inside her head whispered. And then I'll never get any sleep. 

She stomped back over to his fitfully sleeping body and glared defiantly down at him. "Oh, no you don't, Skywalker!" she spat. "We are settling this tonight. You've had six years to wallow in your own self-pity. Enough is enough!" She reached down and grabbed his left wrist physically, then reached through the Force to grab him mentally. 

Skywalker had stopped struggling against the current that was pulling him ever faster toward the vortex. He snapped his head up in surprise when all of a sudden his movement slowed. He found his wrist caught in Mara's iron grip. "I have to go to her, Mara," he pleaded. "It's my fault that she's here in the first place." 

"No way, farmboy!" she said through clenched teeth. She squeezed his wrist harder as he started to slip from her grasp, but found herself being pulled precariously toward the rushing current. "That was her own choice and you know it. You can't save everybody, and you are just going to have to face that. There are too many people on this side who need you for you to go off and get yourself killed by trying. And I know Leia would never forgive me if I let you destroy yourself." She felt him mentally pause at the mention of his sister, but she was not going to give him time to find a way to dismiss her too. "Now, if you don't snap out of it and help me, we are both going to get pulled under." 

He seemed to recognize the determination set in her jaw. A million emotions flitted across his face in a matter of seconds. He turned back towards the vortex where Callista had disappeared, but a sharp tug on his arm brought him back to see resolve settle over Mara's features. "Decide how you must, Luke, but I'm not letting go." 

The seconds passed slowly. Finally, Mara felt his hand tighten around her wrist, both physically and mentally. Gathering the Force around him, Skywalker lunged out of the black water and clung tightly to Mara's waist. The physical world came crashing back in on her with blinding brightness. She found herself pinned in a sitting position on Skywalker's bed with his arms still wrapped like a vise around her waist and his head resting against her stomach. She looked down at his face that was beginning to return to its peaceful state only touched with a tinge of sadness. He had sunk into a deep, dreamless sleep. She tried to slip out of his arms without disturbing him, but her slight movement caused him to squeeze her even tighter. She thought of waking him, but considering the ordeal they had both just been through, thought the better of it. 

"Oh, all right, farmboy," she sighed resignedly, suddenly feeling very exhausted. "Just this once." She pulled the blanket across them and placed a pillow behind her head as she leaned back against the wall. Wincing at the lights that were still glaring brightly in her eyes, she tried to use the Force to turn them off, but to no avail. "You've got to remember to teach me that trick one of these days," she whispered softly, then drifted off to sleep. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Luke slowly came awake early into the ship's day cycle and at once sensed a presence. He was surprised to find himself snuggled up against something very soft, a light musky scent teasing his nostrils. His cheek pressed against an inviting satin surface. He groggily put the pieces together when he discovered the presence he felt was emanating from underneath his head, and his comfy pillow was rising and falling in deep breaths. He opened his eyes and looked up to see a peacefully sleeping Mara, propped up against the wall with her head lolled to one side. Her hair spilled in a wild disarray around her head. Her arms rested lightly across his back. He smiled thinking she looked like a mother comforting a distraught child. He would have laughed at the thought of her reaction to that description, but a pang of betrayal shot through his body like an arrow. His betrayal. He was betraying Callista by lying in another woman's arms. 

At the thought of his lost love, the events of the previous night came crashing back to him with severe clarity. Callista wasn't coming back, and that realization ripped into his heart like a rabid vornskr. He would have sacrificed himself to the dark side to save her, if but for one very stubborn redhead who refused to give up on him. Why would she do that? Why would she care so much? He asked himself. He had known this woman for nearly ten years, and she was still an enigma to him. 

He absorbed the vision before him. So rarely did he get to see Mara without her guard up. Her face wore neither snarl nor scowl, but rested in tranquillity. Perhaps there was even a touch of a smile playing across her features. He found himself staring at the full, pink lips, the corners of which turned slightly downward in a natural pout that was dangerously enticing. He turned away in guilty confusion and tried to untangle himself from her embrace without waking her up. Something warned him that Mara would probably not take kindly to waking up in his arms. 

As soon as he began to pull away, Mara began to stir. Her face screwed into a grimace, and she lifted her hands to her stiff neck. Lithely stretching and yawning, she groaned cracking several vertebrae and making Luke cringe. Finally, she cracked opened her eyes to the Jedi Master sitting on the end of the bed. "Good morning," he mumbled sheepishly, forcing his embarrassment away. 

She squeezed her eyes shut again. She mumbled something indecipherable in reply. Then she grabbed the blanket and dove under the covers once more. Luke stared at the lump in his bed for several seconds. He hadn't known what to expect from her when she realized she was in his bed. He had been prepared for scathing remarks, embarrassment and probably a lot of teasing. Never in a million years did he imagine her rolling over and going back to sleep. The lump rose and fell in steady breaths, and a grin spread across his face when she began to softly snore. He chuckled and padded into the small galley to brew some caf. 

Half the morning was gone when a wild-haired creature in black satin pants and tank top emerged from his bedroom. Her eyes were still half-closed, refusing to accept the intrusion of day. She spied him at the table, and he gave her a perky smile. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty." She groaned and plopped down on the seat in front of him. He held out a cup of space sludge for her, which she took with another intelligent grunt. He refrained from saying anything else until she was capable of speech. 

Finished with the first cup and half way through the second, Mara's speech centers began functioning again. "You've got a grip like a Wookiee, Skywalker." 

As he felt his color rise and his face grow warm, Luke decided he preferred the grunting and groaning instead. He hadn't meant to, or even realized, that he had held on so tight to her last night. She was bound to give him hell for it, so he might as well get it over with. "Thank you for last night." 

"Geez, Skywalker, you make it sound like I comforted more than just your nightmare," she replied sardonically. He knew she was only teasing him, but the innuendo made him turn several shades of red. "Look," she said seriously, "don't go all mushy on me. I did what I did for as much my sake as yours." Then softening she added, "I need my beauty sleep you know." 

"In that case, maybe you should catch a few more winks while I go make breakfast," he teased her back, relieved that she didn't seem to want to talk about the bizarre dream they had been sharing. 

Mara was surprised by the rare humor he had shown her. Though, she recovered quickly when she realized it was at her expense. "You're not exactly the prettiest sight to wake up to either, farmboy." Tossing a sugar packet in his face, she slid off the bench and headed for her cabin. At the door she turned and said, "I'll be back in thirty minutes for breakfast, and you'd better not have touched my kitchen!" 

True to her word, Mara appeared in the galley precisely on time freshly showered and dressed in one of her typical, two-piece flightsuits. Her hair was pulled back into a practical braid. 

"Is it all right now for me to touch your precious kitchen?" he asked all too sweetly. 

To which she replied, her voice dripping with sugar, "Of course, now that I'm here to supervise. I think there's some ration bars and yogurt in here somewhere." 

Luke groaned. "Not one for cooking are you?" 

"I never said I was the domestic type," she shot back. 

"Cooking isn't about domestication," he argued. "It's about survival." He reached cautiously for a small skillet and, when it seemed like Mara wasn't going to chop off his arm, began to heat it. "You see, the key to being a great chef is being able to make the most enticing meal out ordinary staples found in the kitchen." 

Mara rolled her eyes and rubbed her still sore neck as Luke took on his teaching personae. She had no idea what she had in her cupboards. If it wasn't already packaged or easily reheated or re-hydrated, she usually didn't take the time to make it. Somewhere, Skywalker had found some flour, powdered milk and dehydrated eggs and was briskly whisking them together in a bowl. She smothered a giggle as a cloud of flour dusted his black tunic in a layer of white, but he didn't seem to notice. With a flourish, he poured the mixture onto the hot skillet. When one side was a perfect golden brown, he jerked the skillet flipping the cake into the air and catching it to cook the other side. Mara suspected he used more than just a little force to execute that move. 

He flipped the cake onto a plate, and with a small bow, presented it to her. "What do you think?" 

She looked down at the oddly shaped cake and scrunched her nose. "Sick." 

Confused, he looked down at his creation. He caught the image in her head, and with a snort of mock-annoyance he retorted, "It's a lightsabre. Don't we have a dirty mind this morning." 

"I knew that." She jerked the plate out of his hand, spun on her heel and marched to the table. She hoped that the warmth in her cheeks was not apparent to the Master Chef, but his soft chuckling told her otherwise. 

Luke watched her retreating back and made an effort to smother his laughter lest he find himself floating the rest of the way to Adega. He quickly made himself a flatcake and returned to the table to see that Mara had already finished hers and was sipping another cup of sludge with her back to him. She continued to gently massage away the knots that had formed in her neck from being scrunched against the wall last night. Feeling slightly guilty for being the cause of those knots, Luke approached her from behind and removed her hand from her neck. She whipped around with a scathing remark poised on her lips, but immediately regretted it, for the sudden movement jarred her tender muscles. 

"Just be still for a moment," he ordered mildly. She furrowed her brow, but turned to face away from him. Closing his eyes and summoning the Force, he moved his hand lightly along the length of her upper spinal column. He could feel her instantly tense under his touch. "Relax." He coaxed a gentle flow of warmth into the cramped muscles. One by one, they responded to his Force touch and loosened. He heard a contented sigh inadvertently escape from Mara's lips, and it brought a ridiculous smile to his face that he quickly wiped away lest she see it. 

"Better?" 

"Yes, thank you," she replied quietly. She became intensely engrossed in her caf. 

Luke could feel an odd confusion of emotions peeking through Mara's mental barrier, but he chose not to invade her privacy. Instead, he decided to focus on the business at hand. "So what kind of bait do we have for this Guru guy anyway?" 

Talking about business seemed to ease the unnatural silence that had enveloped the lounge. Mara left briefly and returned holding a silver amulet. "If this guy really is the one behind the hijackings, this trinket here will no doubt make him water at the mouth like a hungry rancor." At Luke's questioning regard, she explained, "This is one of the last known amulets of a group called the Guardians of Light. According the information Tionne dug up, they were a band of six Jedi who lived over four thousand standard years ago. This particular amulet is believed to have been owned by the leader, Jedi Master Nemuto. Legend has it that they believed in serving the galaxy on a more personal level, so they traveled from planet to planet helping individuals or small towns. They never stayed in one place very long, but they made a lasting impact on every life form they came into contact with. Tionne found hundreds of planets of varying cultures with similar legends of this group." 

Luke was completely entranced by the story. He had never heard of such a group, even in all of his research into the history of the Jedi. "So what happened?" he asked eagerly. 

"They continued their work for over a hundred years, then suddenly they disappeared. Their last known coordinates placed them somewhere in the Outer Rim Territories, but no one knows for sure. Some think that they miscalculated a hyperspace jump. Others think that one of the Sith Lords finally caught up to them. However, reports had popped up sporadically for over a century after their disappearance from spacers claiming to have found the lost Jedi band. But whenever these spacers were questioned, they could not remember the planet that they had found them on. Any information pertaining to the Jedi had been erased from their logs." 

"Hmm. Jedi mind trick or spacer mind game?" Luke queried rhetorically. "Sounds like a great bedtime story to tell to Anakin and the twins. But what has all this got to do with our mission?" 

"I'm getting to that," she replied impatiently. "About 150 years ago, four of the six amulets were found scattered among several archeological collections throughout the galaxy. No one can pinpoint the planet they came from. They think that the amulets were split up and passed around for millennia before anyone realized what they were. The hijacked ship was actually carrying three of them." 

"Whatever happened to the other amulets?" Luke inquired. 

"Two were never found. The other was sold to an unknown buyer about 11 years ago. Soon after, both the amulet and the buyer disappeared, and the seller was found face down in his swimming pool. Apparently, he had too much to drink one night and decided to take a swim." Mara's dubious expression told how much she believed the official reports. 

"So a ship carrying Jedi artifacts get hijacked," he mused, "then this buyer from Adega appears wanting desperately to buy anything Jedi. Coincidence?" 

"You catch on quick, Skywalker." 

"So when do we arrive?" 

"Fifty-two hours." 

"Maybe I'll read through some of this stuff to pass the time." 

Mara shrugged. "I've got some work to do down in the cargo hold, so knock yourself out." She downed the last third of her caf in one gulp, stood and disappeared down the passage way. 

Mara tried for over an hour to concentrate on the cargo lists in front of her. In one corner of the Jade's Fire's hold sat a stack of crates full of merchandise she thought she might unload at the next sign of civilization. Never one to miss an opportunity for profit, she always carried something on board she could sell. Each article had to be carefully catalogued, then supply and demand had to be determined for several different systems to gain the highest projected profit. 

Usually, this kind of work excited Mara. She liked to see the numbers fall into their specific columns and rows. The higher the profit margin, the happier she was. All was ordered and accurate, and all was right with her universe. But this day, the columns just seemed to blend together. The numbers seemed dull and boring. She couldn't concentrate. 

Groaning in annoyance, she rubbed at her neck again. It didn't really hurt anymore. Whatever Skywalker had done earlier had loosened all the knots in her neck and shoulders, but every other muscle seemed wound tighter than a spring. She felt energy building within her with no release. She needed to move. 

Setting her datapad down on a crate, she walked over to the other side of the hold, where she had a large punching bag suspended from the ceiling. Exercise would relax her, she was sure. She turned on some loud, hard music and shrugged off her flight jacket. Her fists jabbed satisfyingly into the bag as she began a rigorous work-out of punches and kicks. 

While she moved, she imagined Skywalker's face on the bag. He annoyed her. She didn't understand why she was annoyed with him. He hadn't done anything that morning to warrant it, though she was sure that would change as the day progressed. He made her uneasy. They were supposed to sort of be friends, but the more time they spent together, the more uncomfortable she felt. It annoyed her to no end that he could always feel her presence, know her every thought and feeling. She could feel his presence saturating her brain like a smell that would just not go away. The man had no sense of personal space. She felt trapped in a box with the walls closing steadily in toward her. Waking up in his arms that morning did nothing to ease her discomfort. She shouldn't have brought him along. He was too much of a distraction. 

Mara shook her head and tried to empty her mind of all thoughts about Skywalker. There was nothing she could do about him now. He was here on this mission, and he would stay by her side until it was finished. 

The song changed to one of her favorites, and she couldn't help but throw a few dance moves into her boxing routine. She grinned in satisfaction as her pirouetting fan kick landed squarely on the bag. 

Luke poured over the legends but didn't find any information that he didn't already know. Finally, he set down the datapad, stretched and rubbed his eyes. His stomach grumbled. The chrono on his bedside table told him that the lunch hour had already come and gone. He felt another tremor, and after a moment, realized that it was not his stomach but the walls and floor trembling. He stretched out his senses and enhanced his hearing with the Force until he could detect the strains of some lively music coming from the room beneath him. He also felt Mara's presence below him. Her heart rate was elevated, and she emanated a powerful amount of energy through the Force. Intrigued, he descended to the lower deck to see what she was up to. 

As he neared the cargo hold, the music became almost deafening. He wondered how she could think through all that bass. When he saw her in the corner with the punching bag, he realized that thinking was probably the last thing she wanted to do at that moment. Sweat poured down her back, drenching her tank top. Several strands of hair had escaped their enclosure. Some stuck out at odd angles from her braid, others were plastered against her damp forehead. Her muscles rippled with the force of each punch. Luke was glad he wasn't the punching bag. 

Suddenly, Mara whirled in a move that looked far too graceful to use in combat. She kicked high, completely missing the bag, and twisted her hips and torso in a way that seemed to Luke to defy human flexibility. He leaned against the door frame to watch this interesting combination of dance and kick boxing. She returned to the bag, wrapping her arms around it as if it were her dance partner and swinging into graceful leap that arced around her work-out corner. She finished the move with several sharp jabs to the lower portion of the bag making Luke wince slightly in sympathy for her imagined foe. 

Feeling that she was no longer alone, Mara looked up sharply to see him watching her. Scowling slightly, she walked over to the controls and turned off the music. "I hope my music wasn't disturbing you," she said brusquely. 

"No," Luke replied good-naturedly. "But I will definitely think twice before asking you to dance." 

Instead of the smile or even the rolling of the eyes that he expected, her frown only deepened. "I don't dance anymore. So it's just as well that you don't ask." 

"Funny, it looked like you were dancing just a moment ago," he pressed, sensing something behind her aloofness. 

"I was working out." 

Luke crossed his arms and stared directly at her. "Uh, huh." 

She let out her breath in an exasperated whoosh. "I dance for myself -- alone. If you have a problem with that, then get off my ship." With that she stalked out of the cargo hold. 

Luke sighed. He always seemed to say just the right thing to rile her temper. He walked across the hold, picked up her forgotten jacket and jogged after her. 

"Mara, wait!" he called to her retreating back. 

She didn't turn around or even slow her pace. "I'm going to go get cleaned up. Do you think you can give me at least that much privacy?" she replied sarcastically. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to barge in on you." 

Mara halted in front of her cabin. She turned to him, her mouth partly open to reply, but no sound came out. She didn't know how to put words to what she was feeling, so slapped the release on the door and disappeared into her quarters leaving Skywalker alone and confused in the corridor. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

A few hours later, Mara emerged from her quarters calm, cool and collected. Luke tried not to stare at her. She was clad in a pair of tight fitting black pants and a deep green tunic that set her emerald eyes on fire. But the most shocking part of her appearance were her hair and face. She had changed her hair from its natural red-gold color to a rich auburn and pulled it back into a thick braid. She then used cosmetic enhancers to raise the ridge of her eyebrows and change her skin coloring. The skin around her hairline was softly shaded in glittering greens and yellows with black speckles. 

"What?" she asked in seeming innocence. But she couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped her lips. "Nice disguise, don't you think?" 

"Not if you're trying to be inconspicuous," he mumbled under his breath. But then, he doubted that anything could make Mara seem inconspicuous. 

"What did you say?" 

"Nothing." He shrugged. Her mood swings would never cease to baffle him. 

She arched an eyebrow at him, but decided to let it go. 

At that moment, the ship's sensors beeped announcing their drop out of hyperspace, and they both trotted to the cockpit. The swirling colors of hyperspace split into white streaks that dissolved into pinpricks of starlight. A planet with blue-green oceans and landmasses mottled in bright greens and browns hung in space in the front viewport. There were no artificial satellites orbiting the planet, nor did any kind of space patrol attempt to contact them. 

"Awfully quiet here," Luke muttered. His Force sense tingled, but offered no insight to the uneasy feeling the planet gave him. 

"According to Karrde, the planet is populated by a few indigenous tribes on the northern continent." Mara explained. "They are primitive by our standards in that they don't have any major cities or even electricity. The inhabitants are naturalists whose religion forbids the use of anything not found in the natural environment. Guru built his fortress on a large deserted island located in the middle of the planet's largest ocean. It's several hundred kilometers from any kind of landmass. See, look there." 

Luke followed where she pointed. A clump of purplish clouds continued floating north across the ocean to reveal a green patch rising like a blemish against the sparkling blue-green waters. "You call that an island? It looks like a small continent!" 

The island-continent continued to grow larger as Mara directed the Jade's Fire toward it, and he saw two volcanoes that had sprung up from the depths of the planet to find home at the landmass's center. 

When they were almost on top of the island, voice crackled over the comm system. "This is Port Control. Unidentified ship, state your identity and business." 

Mara spoke into the comm, her voice steady and businesslike. "This is Trader Asaro, captain of the Star Dancer requesting permission to land. I have business with Guru." 

"What business?" the officer demanded. He sounded suspicious. 

"That is confidential, Port Control," Mara responded putting a trace of impatience in her voice. "Just tell him that the messenger from the Circle of Light has arrived." 

* * * * *

Guru entered the brightly-lit room with caution. Sunlight streamed through the immense paned glass wall offering a panoramic view over the tops of the trees to the white sandy beaches and the ocean beyond. In front of the window, a lone figure wrapped in a shimmering purple-black cloak stood in somber contrast to the sunny room. Guru eyed his master contemptuously as he approached, but kept a respectful silence. He had seen the results of previous interruptions by his men and had no desire to have that kind of wrath inflicted upon himself. He came to within a meter of the specter and waited patiently for acknowledgment. He didn't wait long. 

"Is everything in place?" She asked. Her dark brown eyes, the only feature visible from her under her cloak, continued to gaze unseeing out the window. 

"Yes, Master. The last aurelia was installed this morning. Also-" 

"He is here," she interrupted. A tremor of anticipation seeped into her steely voice. 

"A cargo ship has entered the system," Guru confirmed. "It is registered to a Captain Asaro." 

A small, delicate hand contracted into a fist. "Yes, I know." Her voice remained silky smooth and calm, though Guru could pick up small threatening tones of irritation. "He is not alone," she stated. "SHE is with him." 

"Shall I give them permission to land?" 

"Yes. After I get what I want, dispose of Asaro. Quietly." 

"Of course, Master." Guru inclined his head in a slight bow and hurried from the chamber. 

* * * * *

Guru must have been eager to get his hands on the artifact, because they had only waited a few minutes for clearance. The officer, significantly more humble, gave them the landing coordinates. 

Mara skillfully maneuvered the Jade's Fire around the island toward the coordinates while at the same time giving them a good overhead view of the terrain. Most of the island seemed to be covered in rain forest. A few breaks in the dense foliage revealed a river and several tributaries winding down from a natural spring in the large mountain and the uppermost ivory towers of Guru's fortress. Mara set the ship down on a landing platform built into the side of the smaller volcano located just off to the side of its parent and commenced shut down procedures. Luke felt almost useless sitting in the co-pilot's seat, but quickly dismissed the emotion realizing Mara would've gone berserk if he had attempted to touch anything on her precious ship. Sometimes he thought she was more protective than Han was with the Millenium Falcon. 

"I'm not overprotective," she argued. "I just like things done the right way." 

"Now who's walking around in whose head?" Luke admonished, though he was amazed that she could pick up his thoughts so clearly. 

Mara gave him a withering look. "I don't need the Force to know what you're thinking. Your face says it all." 

That surprised him even more. Was he really that readable? 

"You'd better go change, Skywalker," she continued, interrupting his thoughts. 

Luke nodded and headed for the small room Mara had loaned him for the journey. He returned to the cockpit in a matter of minutes with his lightsabre tucked safely out of sight in a side pocket on his cargo pants. Mara turned in her seat to regard him. He had used a hair stimulator to grow a goatee and dyed it and the rest of his hair jet black. It wasn't as drastic a change as Mara's appearance, but he could always use the Force to divert anyone from probing too deeply into who he really was. 

Mara said nothing, and he began to squirm uncomfortably as her eyes inspected him from head to toe. Then a spark of annoyance ignited within him as she shook her head in seeming disappointment. "What?" he demanded a little too aggressively. 

"Do you have anything in your wardrobe that's NOT black?" she asked slightly exasperated. 

"What's wrong with black?" He demanded. Then striking a sad excuse for a fashion pose he added, "It's very slimming don't you think? It's all the rage with the monks of the galaxy." 

To Luke's surprise, Mara let out a short burst of laughter. He enjoyed the sound. It instantly warmed him. She quickly subdued herself, though she could not stop her eyes from crinkling slightly in mirth. 

"If you got any skinnier, farmboy, you'd disappear," she retorted a little breathlessly. "All right, Fashion Master, we've got work to do." She walked toward the outer hatch and playfully punched him in the stomach in passing. 

* * * * *

Guru was waiting for them on the platform as they descended the boarding ramp and into the warm, moist air of the island. He was an imposing man, tall and sturdily built. His blond, nearly white hair was pulled back into a loose tail that cascaded halfway down his back. From a distance he looked like a young man in the prime of his youth, but closer up, Mara could see the creases forming at the edges of his eyes and mouth as he journeyed through middle age. He watched them with pale blue eyes that seemed almost transparent. 

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Trader Asaro," he greeted Luke when they were in earshot. His voice was smooth like fine silk and friendly, but reserved. He glanced amusedly at Mara. "I was not expecting a companion." 

Rage boiled under Mara's cool demeanor. She stepped forward and introduced herself, her voice colder than Hoth in winter. "I am Trader Asaro. Skye Asaro. This is my co-pilot Wyll." The amused grin immediately disappeared. "The galaxy can be a dangerous place. I trust my companion's presence will not hinder our transaction." 

"Not at all." He flashed her a dazzling smile. "I must apologize for my earlier assumption. You will both be welcome guests here. I have a hover car waiting to take us back to the house." He motioned for them to follow him, his silver cape swirling elegantly around him. 

Guru's house turned out to be an ancient temple that had been restored to accommodate more modern amenities. High walls, bleached white from the tropical sun enclosed the fortress that was built directly into the mountainside. As they passed through an imposing arch, Mara suddenly felt a blinding flash through the Force. For a split second, she could feel the presence of every life form on the planet, sentient or not, as clearly as if they were a part of her own body. Then the feeling dissolved into a fading buzz and mild headache that left her slightly dizzy. 

"Ms. Asaro!" A frantic voice broke through the fog. "Your co-pilot seems to be ill." 

Mara slowly became aware that Luke was slumped over in the passenger seat next to the driver. "L-Wyll!" she exclaimed, catching herself before she blew their cover. She reached over the seat and gently shook his shoulder. A lump formed in her throat as Skywalker remained deathly still. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Mara shook Skywalker more roughly and allowed herself a small sigh of relief when he elicited a small groan. He opened his eyes and slowly sat up. "Are you all right?" she asked anxiously. 

"Y-yeah. Remind me never to drink that caf of yours again. I think you've poisoned me." He gave her a weak smile, but the look in his eye told her everything was definitely not okay. 

"I'll have a room set up for you by the time we reach the main house," Guru offered. "You can rest there." 

"Thank you," Mara replied gratefully. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he spoke into a comlink. Something didn't feel right. She needed to talk to Skywalker in private. She sent the thought out to him. It was then she realized what had been bothering her. She couldn't sense him in the Force. She fought back the uneasiness the crept up into her throat. It didn't feel like there were ysalamiri nearby. She could sense the Force, but it was a confused jumble in her mind, like trying to watch a holo that was being jammed with static. 

Mara was confident that she could handle herself without the Force, she rarely used it anyway. But the Force was an integral part of Skywalker's life. She remembered the dizzy spell she had earlier. Whatever was interfering with her Force abilities, must magnify in proportion to how powerful the user is. It would explain why Skywalker passed out. 

"On second thought, I think maybe my co-pilot could use some fresh air," she interjected smoothly. 

"Of course," Guru replied. "I will assign you a guide to show you around my home. I'm sure the gardens will do wonders to refresh you after your trip." Mara opened her mouth to object, but he was too quick. "My home can be a quite a maze. I wouldn't want you to get lost. I assure you, my servants are highly trained and will give you whatever degree of privacy you require." 

Mara ignored the suggestive tone he added at the end of that last statement. She merely forced a smile and accepted his hospitality. 

The hover craft dropped off its occupants in front of an immense half-circular building several stories high that opened onto an expansive courtyard. Each had wide steps leading up to a marble veranda bordered by high, ivory columns. Large windows were cut into the stone, the panes arranged in an artistic mosaic that gave the building added beauty without restricting the view. 

"I will have lunch prepared by the time you return." He made a silent hand gesture to one of his servants and disappeared inside the building in the center. 

Mara and Skywalker took off at a leisurely pace into the courtyard. True to his word, the servant remained a respectful distance behind them, out of earshot but never out of visual range. Mara was quick to note the surliness of their escort and the firepower he carried not quite out of sight. 

Mara had to admit that Guru had nice taste when it came to gardens. The courtyard was sprinkled with wide-leafed trees, flower-lined walkways and life size statues of various species. High hedges lined the interior walls creating the illusion of a natural barrier. At the very center stood a massive fountain several meters tall with a larger than life statue of a human male standing magnificently on the top. At closer inspection, Mara realized with a barely controlled smirk that the statue was actually an artistic representation of Guru, himself. 

Mara pulled Skywalker down onto the bench encircling the statue. "How are you feeling?" she whispered. "And keep your voice down so our friend doesn't hear." 

He hadn't said a word since the incident in the hovercraft. Mara saw confusion and fear written across his face. "It feels really weird. I can feel the Force, but I can't interpret it. It's like sitting in on the Senate without any interpreter droids." 

"I guess that rules out ysalamiri," she mused. "You aren't still feeling sick are you?" 

"No, I didn't really feel sick before either. Just really dizzy, then I blacked out." 

"Looks like your not going to be as much help as Karrde thought." 

"Gee, thanks. I guess we'll just have to hope our disguises are enough to keep anyone from recognizing us." 

"So far, I think we're safe. Though, this certainly increases my suspicions of our charitable host. I guess we'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way. You up for a little fun tonight?" she asked with an unmistakable twinkle in her eye. 

"Fun?" 

"I think we should do some exploring." 

"You mean prowling." 

"Let's not get hung up on semantics," she replied with a careless wave of her hand. "For now, just keep your eyes and ears open. And watch what you say. He's probably got listening devices planted throughout the complex." 

Luke nodded looking a little exasperated. "You know, I have done undercover work before." 

Mara looked doubtful, but she said nothing. 

"Also, he'll probably have guards posted around the house and on the grounds. That means you'll have to be discreet," he teased. 

"Hey, it's me!" She exclaimed, mimicking Solo's legendary cockiness and ignoring the pained look Skywalker gave her. 

They got up and headed back toward the main house. Another of Guru's servants greeted them in the marble-floored foyer and guided them to a lift that would take them to the dining room where their host was already waiting. 

Mara's mouth dropped slightly as they stepped out into a large, brightly-lit room. Three of the four walls and the ceiling were glass giving them a breathtaking view of the rain forest below them and the ocean on the horizon. The sky was a perfect azure, though clouds were beginning to form in the distance promising rain. The Imperial Palace on Coruscant didn't come close to the beauty and elegance Guru's fortress held. She quickly recovered her voice. "Your home is spectacular." 

"Thank you," he replied with a dazzling smile. "I like to surround myself with beautiful things." 

As if on cue, a beautiful woman appeared from a side door. She was tall and supple dressed in a flowing floor length skirt of some light fabric that swirled around her legs when she moved and showed off her curves. Her ebony hair was done up in an elegant twist. No hair dared to find itself out of place. She bowed her head slightly in greeting toward Guru and then turned her eyes appreciatively on Skywalker. 

"I see our guests have arrived," she purred and held out a perfectly manicured hand first to Skywalker, then Mara. 

"This is my assistant, Auria," Guru explained as he introduced everyone. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said graciously, then she led the group to a long table that had been prepared for lunch. 

Mara wasn't sure what she was eating, but whatever it was, it was delicious. She and Guru chatted idly during the meal. Auria positioned herself next to Skywalker at the table and tried to engage him in conversation. Mara glanced over once or twice and had to suppress a smirk at Skywalker's obvious discomfort under the flirtations of the voluptuous assistant. She refrained from guessing what she assisted him with. She concentrated on Guru. 

"I hope you are not in a hurry to leave, because I insist that you stay a few days as my guests to enjoy the natural beauty of my home," he was saying. 

"Trying to lower my price with a free vacation?" Mara inquired lightly. Inwardly she was somewhat relieved that she had not had to come up with an excuse to stay, but was suspicious of Guru's hospitality. Whether he was genuinely trying to be friendly or not, a few days would give them plenty of time to snoop around for clues as to the fate of the missing crews. "I have nothing pressing at the moment," Mara replied airily. "Again, we thank you for your hospitality." 

"Your welcome. I've already had my staff prepare your rooms. Feel free to stay as long as you like. Also I'm hosting a small party tomorrow night," Guru continued. "I would be honored if you would join us." 

"That is very kind of you," Mara answered, "but we didn't exactly come prepared for a party." 

"Oh, that's no problem." He waved his hand dismissively. "You'll find appropriate clothing in your rooms. Just inform one of my servants if something does not meet to your liking." 

She nodded and gave him a small, appreciative smile. 

"Perhaps we should begin discussing your price for the amulet," he said abruptly changing the subject. 

"Five million," she responded without missing a beat. She casually took a sip of wine giving him time to let the figure sink in. 

"Done." 

Mara nearly choked and stared at him incredulously. Even if she had found a buyer who would pay such an exorbitant amount, no one ever accepted the first offer. It was bad business. Guru smiled serenely at her. "I guess you're not one for bargaining," she managed once she found her voice again. 

"Believe me, I would have paid double for that piece," he replied. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Night fell on the island, and with the rising of the triple moons came the night song of waking nocturnal animals venturing from their dens and into the rain forest. The of screams of predators attacking prey drifted up into an open window set high above the canopy. Luke sat on his bed pulling on a pair of black boots and wondering if Adega's predatory wild life hunted human prey. Without the Force, it would be near impossible to tell beforehand if an attack were eminent. 

Suddenly he stiffened, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling. He may not have the Force, but something within him told him he was no longer alone. He had kept his lights off to avoid anyone from detecting him from outside. Now he strained his eyes into the black corners of the room trying to make out each shadowy shape in the meager moonlight. He thought he caught a flutter of movement, but before he could move toward it, a cool hand clamped over his mouth. He nearly jumped out of his skin. He wasn't used to not being able to sense beings in his presence and the fact that anyone could sneak up on him so easily was very disconcerting. 

His anxiety was somewhat put to rest when Mara stepped around him and into a beam of moonlight, a wide grin plastered across her face. She placed a finger to her own lips indicating silence. Then she removed her hand from his mouth. He wanted to question her on how she got into his room, but they had already found a least three listening devices in their rooms, and there was no telling how many devices still remained. Noiselessly, Mara pointed to her chrono, then the door. Luke nodded and followed her out the door. 

Before taking a single step into the hallway, Mara pulled what looked like a plastic ball from her utility belt and chucked it into the air. As it arced through the air, it exploded with a barely perceptible *pop* filling the air in the hallway with a fine white powder. A grid work of lasers appeared on the floor crisscrossing the corridor with alarm beams. Mara began hopping, skipping and jumping gracefully down the corridor with Skywalker only slightly less gracefully in tow. 

Soon, they came to the lift. Mara shook her head and pointed to the spiraling staircase further down the corridor. Luke had to admit that in prowling and just plain sneakiness, she far out skilled him. Whatever was disturbing their use of the Force seemed not to affect her other abilities in the least. She moved with grace, completely in her element. But then, she had trained for years to learn how to blend into, get into and get out of high security places. 

She poked her head over the open shaft of the spiral staircase, then turned back to Luke raising three fingers. Instead of using the steps like a normal person, she hooked her leg over the banister and with a playful wink began a careening descent to the third floor. If the situation permitted, Luke thought she might have even squealed in delight. He followed suit with lackluster enthusiasm as the banister rubbed uncomfortably against his nether regions. Within a few seconds, he had dropped four floors and squeezed his thighs together with a slight grimace to bring himself to a halt at level three. 

He scowled at Mara who was covering her mouth to suppress a giggle at his expense. She's having way too much fun with this, he thought. He hopped lightly to her side, and they began creeping down the dark hallways toward Guru's office. They had just reached another staircase, when Luke caught movement above them out of the corner of his eye. A perched on the top step, an armed guard seemed to hear something and descended to inspect it. In one swift movement, Luke wrapped an arm around Mara's waist and a hand over her mouth and dove behind a large potted fern. The guard passed by them, and convinced that he had been hearing things, continued on his rounds. 

The two prowlers let out the breaths they were holding and emerged cautiously from their hiding place. Encountering no other guards, they continued their journey down the hallway. Soon they came to a large wooden door that looked much like all the others they had passed, except that while the other had manual handles, Guru's office had electric. And an electric lock that required a seven digit access code. After inspecting the door for any trip wires or alarms, Mara pulled a palm-sized black box from her pocket and attached it with two wires to the lock. Luke glanced furtively up and down the hallway for any sign of the guards as she searched for the access code. 

In less than a minute, they were standing inside the large, ornate office. Mara shut the door quietly behind them. "You start looking for any clues in his files, I'll try his computer," she whispered. 

Luke nodded. Holding his hand lamp between his teeth, he began rummaging through datapads and flimsiplast documents as quietly as possible. Mara sat down at Guru's computer and pulled out another electronic gadget. She had no doubt paid a visit to Ghent before taking off on this crazy assignment. 

They had been in the office for over two hours and found no trace of the missing crews or their cargo. Luke's eyes were beginning to ache from glaring at the unyielding documents. He glanced up at Mara, bathed in an eerie blue glow from the computer screen. She absently massaged her temples while she searched for information. They only thing they had learned was that Guru liked spice and art. One glance at his home revealed that he loved art. The entire complex was littered with paintings, sculptures and statues of various mediums. 

Mara mumbled something inaudible, and Luke wandered over to see what she found. On the screen was what looked like a list of bank records. He chuckled softly in admiration. Mara could get into just about anything, and if she couldn't, she usually knew someone who could. 

"It looks like Guru has a little side business going," she whispered. 

"You mean other than stolen art and illegal spices?" Luke retorted. 

"There is a third listing here, but it doesn't say what. It's bigger than the others combined," she explained. "Someone has dumped a helluva lot of credits into this account." 

"Maybe he sends out a mail-order catalogue," Luke said half-jokingly. 

"Actually, this looks exactly like an order. Look here." She indicated one of the columns to the right. "Whatever it is, they haven't shipped it yet." 

"Maybe the buyer intends to pick up the merchandise himself," Luke suggested. "Do you think that could be the stolen artifacts?" 

Mara chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip. "I don't know. Could be, but it just seems like an awful lot of credits for a handful of antiques." 

"Do you have the shipping date?" 

She tapped a few keys to bring up another screen. "Four days." 

"I've got a bad feeling about this," he muttered. 

"Oh, great. That makes me feel so much better," Mara snapped. 

From outside the door and down the hall a pair of voices became distinguishable. Mara and Luke locked gazes for a split second before arranging everything to how it was before they had arrived. Luke darted to the door and cautiously peeked out. Two beams of light cut through the darkness as a couple of guards swept their hand lamps along the hallway approaching the office. Somewhere, somehow, they must've tripped an alarm. 

Mara came up behind him and peered over his shoulder. "No getting out that way," she whispered. She immediately began looking for hiding places in the office. There wasn't much to choose from. There were no closets or storage rooms. 

Luke looked out the large bay window. They were now about eye level with the tree tops, which still left them several meters to the ground. With the Force to help cushion their landing, they might have been able to make the jump, but without it, they would be lucky to come away with only a few broken ankles, legs or worse. Mara, determination set in her face, seemed willing to take that chance and began reaching for the window release. 

A small squeak sounded behind them. Mara already had her blaster unholstered and ready to shoot anything that made so much as a hostile thought in her direction. Behind them, the wall had mysteriously opened to reveal a dimly lit passageway and a steep staircase. With the voices now in front of the office door, they had little time to debate the origin of this lucky break. Grabbing their equipment, Luke and Mara slipped inside the passage and moved the panel back into place. A muffled click signaled to them that a locking mechanism had been activated. 

Luke placed a finger on Mara's lips to signal *quiet* to which she lightly smacked his hand away to signal *duh*. They could hear the guards on the other side grumbling to each other. 

"You're imagining things buddy," the first guard admonished. 

"I'm telling you, I can feel that something's not right," the other insisted. 

"Well, there's no one here now. The office doesn't look like it's been touched since this afternoon." 

"Just keep alert tonight. Double check the sensors, too." 

The rest of their conversation was cut off as they exited the office. The two fugitives behind the wall breathed a bit easier. Luke ignited his lightsabre with a sharp snap-hiss and passed the green glow along the inside of the panel. Mara added her own lightsabre's blue-white light to his. The panel was smooth with no evidence of a lock trigger or a handle. Even the seams indicating a door were barely visible. 

"Looks like there's no way out this way," Mara dared to whisper. 

"So which way do you suggest we go?" 

The lightsabre's dim glow did not extend more than a few meters from the blade, with a few cautious steps, Luke could feel a definite downgrade in one direction. From Mara's shadowed expression, he could tell that she had discovered the same thing. 

"There's got to be a ground floor access to this passage," Mara said. 

"Down it is," Luke replied. 

Silently, they descended along the hidden passage for several minutes but no exit appeared. For a moment, Luke wondered if they were going to keep going to the center of the planet. It was a veritable maze within the walls of the castle. Several times, the passageway leveled out or made sharp turns. Tunnels branched off in every direction and disappeared into the darkness. 

Luke estimated that they had to be several meters underground when they finally reached a heavy durasteel door. Unlike the sophisticated entrance from the office, this door had a manually bolted lock. The grips on the lock were worn from overuse. 

"Shall we go for what's behind door number two?" he half-heartedly joked. 

"Be careful," Mara warned. "We don't know what's on the other side." 

Luke shut down his lightsabre and motioned for Mara to do the same. Then he gently pulled back on the bolt and slowly pushed open the door. Through the crack, a bright orange glow nearly blinded them, their eyes having gotten used to the almost total darkness of the passage. They blinked away the spots and found themselves on a wide ledge overlooking a gigantic cavern. From their vantage point, they could see the entire underground complex spread out before them. 

The cavern was at least 50 meters in diameter and contained hundreds of natural rock platforms. On each platform was a workstation. On the lower levels, workers dressed in thin, dirty rags picked though rock, ash and soot from the cavern wall. Other levels contained work equipment and supplies. Scientists in clean white uniforms worked on the highest platforms where complex laboratories were set up to experiment with the substance that was mined from the lower levels. 

Catwalks crisscrossed the expanse over the boiling cauldron deep within the mountain and connected all of the platforms. Each catwalk joined at one of six hubs at the center and had a force field generator that had been set up in a cylindrical formation around the cauldron to keep the poisonous gases and unbearable heat from killing the thousands of people scurrying from station to station. 

Luke felt his stomach turn. He didn't need the Force to feel the misery and hopelessness emanating from those people on the lower levels forced to toil away their lives in these nefarious conditions. All of them looked bone-thin, dirty and sick. He spotted a female Twi'lek on one platform whose lekku hung limply down her back and had several burn and cut marks. Beside her, a humanoid girl, who looked no more than eight-years-old, dug through the loose rock with her bare hands. Her pale, blonde hair was almost white and hung limply over her shoulders. She must have felt his eyes on her, because suddenly she turned and looked straight at him. Her eyes bored into him. They did not the vacant gaze that the other slaves had. She studied him as one would an interesting piece of artwork. He felt pinned to the spot, unable to move or breathe. 

"Hey," Mara whispered in his ear jerking him back to reality. "We've still got some investigating to do." 

He turned to her and nodded. When he looked back, the girl was no longer at her workstation. He quickly scanned the surrounding platforms, but she had simply disappeared. He had the strangest sensation from that girl, but he had no time to analyze it as he hurried to catch up with Mara who had sneaked over to the ledge and was peering onto the platform below. 

There was only one technician in the laboratory, and he was completely engrossed with the data running across his computer. Mara didn't bother with the lift. She jumped the two and a half meters to land silently behind the man and whacked him soundly on the back of the head with the handle of her lightsabre. He slumped over in his chair never knowing what hit him. 

Luke followed Mara feeling only slightly sorry for the headache the guy was going to have when he woke up. He helped her drag the man out of sight behind one of the durasteel tables. 

Mara sat down at the computer and began analyzing the data with a puzzled expression on her face. 

"I don't get any of this," she muttered in frustration. "It's just a bunch of numbers and symbols to me." 

"They look like bio readings," Luke replied. At Mara's dubious look, he elaborated. "You don't spend as much time as I do in a bacta tank without picking up a bit of medical knowledge." 

Mara rewarded him with a smirk. 

"Why would Guru be doing medical tests?" she wondered. "It's not like spice dealers are reputed for their interest in their clients' health. It would be bad for business. Unless he's testing something new." 

"Maybe, but this is just a little too involved for mere spice testing. Look," he said pointing at the screen, "he's got data on respiratory functions, blood count, heart rate, neurological functions. They are all normal for human species." 

"Even with the smallest amount of spice there should be some fluctuation in these results," Mara added. 

Luke leaned over her and began scrolling backward to view the data results over a longer period of time. Everything seemed normal, then something caught his eye that made his face pale slightly. 

"Hey, are you okay?" 

"I think I just figured out part of the puzzle," he replied. "Look at these numbers. This isn't just a human we're talking about, but a Force-sensitive human. Only Force-sensitives would have this extra column in the neurological readings. And from the looks of these endorphin levels, I'd say he's using a dark Jedi as his test subject." 

Mara's eyes widened as something clicked in her brain. 

"On the days when the spice was administered," Luke continued, "these chemicals that govern the Force are in such an excited state, they stop functioning properly. Too much information is absorbed at a time, so you are unable to distinguish a signal from all the background noise." 

"Huh?" Mara nearly crossed her eyes. "Okay, rewind. Now can you repeat all that in Basic?" 

"Okay, take the stars for example. The stars are always there, but if you are standing on the day-side part of a planet, you can't see them. There's too much light that drowns out the starlight. Somehow, this spice," Luke said gesturing to the computer, "actually increased our Force sensitivity to a point that we can't distinguish one being from another through the Force." 

"And basically renders you Force-less," Mara said. "If Guru can engineer a spice that neutralizes the Force in Force-sensitives -" 

"-he could take advantage of their momentary shock and wipe them out," Luke finished for her. 

"Or sell the spice to the highest bidder," Mara added. "Guru doesn't seem like the type to organize an army." 

"It gets better," Luke said grimly. "These tests are taken every other day, which means -" 

"-the dark Jedi is here." Mara shook her head in agitation. 

Luke remained silent with his brow furrowed. 

"Something's bugging you," Mara stated realizing at the same time that it was probably the biggest understatement of the year. 

"It's just this feeling that keeps nagging at me," he replied. "What do stolen artifacts have to do with this?" 

"Probably nothing," she said. "We've probably just stumbled on one of Guru's many hidden dealings." 

"But how does all this tie in with the stolen artifacts?" 

"Maybe it doesn't." 

"Maybe it's a trap," a small voice suggested. 

Both Mara and Luke whirled around, their lightsabres turned off, but in en garde position. Luke gasped uncontrollably. The being standing before them was the same girl he had spotted in the work pit. She stood calmly, unarmed and did not appear the least bit frightened of sliced in half by a lightsabre. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"You probably don't want to ignite those," she said the same casual tone. "The guards will be sure to see it, and then the whole fortress would be brought down on you." 

For some unknown reason, Luke found himself trusting this little being, and he clipped his lightsabre to his belt. Mara, always suspicious, let her guard down but kept her lightsabre in her hand. 

"Who are you," he asked the girl. 

"My name is Annaïse," she replied. She glanced around furtively for a moment, it was the first sign of nervousness she had exhibited so far. "We should find a more suitable location to make introductions. The shifts will be changing soon." 

Annaïse swiftly pivoted and began to nimbly climb the ladder to the rocky platform above. Luke made as if to follow her, but was held back by Mara's hand on his arm. 

"Where are you going?" she hissed. "Do you really think she can be trusted?" 

"I don't know," Luke admitted. "But there's something about her - yeah, I do trust her. Come on, if she meant us any harm, she could have just sounded the alarm." 

"Well, what about him." Mara pointed at the still unconscious man lying in the corner. "As soon as he wakes up, he's sure to sound the alarm on us." 

"Are you coming?" Annaïse peered down at them. 

"Just a second," Luke replied. He gently dragged the man back to his work station. Then he laid a nearby carton next to his head in a haphazard fashion. "See? He'll just think something fell over and hit him on the head." 

"No one would ever buy that," she snapped shaking her head disparagingly. 

"We'll just have to take that chance. Now come on." 

* * * * *

Luke and Mara followed the girl through the shadows, inching along several platforms. Several times, progress was slow as they had to bypass a faster route to wherever they were going in order to avoid being detected by the scientists or the guards. Mara was beginning to think they were walking in circles. She had lost count of the number of platforms they had crossed, and with no markers to distinguish one from another, she was starting feel a little lost. 

She kept an eye on their little tour guide. She would never understand Luke's mental process when it came to trusting people. There never seemed to be any logic to it. He either trusted you or he didn't. It didn't matter if he didn't know you, or your affiliations, or even if you had sworn to kill him. 

At first Mara thought it was just farmboy naïveté or Jedi arrogance. Then again, maybe it was some kind of Force ability he had honed. But she knew that he couldn't read the Force now, so perhaps his ability trust was something that went deeper than the Force. She chewed on her lip as she thought about this until she felt his eyes on her. There was an almost imperceptible break in her stride, but she could tell that he had noticed by the slight raise in his eyebrows. 

"What?" she demanded a little defensively. 

"Don't worry," he said soothingly. "I'm sure she's harmless. I have a feeling about her. Annaïse may even be able to give us some more information on this dark Jedi." 

Mara kept her face neutral when she nodded. Inside, she was annoyed. Even without the Force, he was reading her thoughts ... or he was hitting pretty close the mark. 

Before she could dwell too much on those thoughts, they arrived at a door that resembled the one they had used to gain access to this underground laboratory. Annaïse pushed the door open, slipped inside and motioned for them to follow. Once the door closed behind them, they were once again emerged in darkness. 

Annaïse shuffled around in the dark for a few moments. She did not seem hindered by the lack of light and soon appeared within the golden halo of a rustic lantern. The contraption looked archaic with an open flame flickering between four panes of glass. With each movement the girl made, the flame danced and cast eerily moving shadows on the rock walls. Mara took in their new surroundings and discovered that they were in a passageway much like the one they had used to enter the underground cavern. 

"We are walking along the old, abandoned part of the house now," Annaïse informed them with a friendly smile. "When Guru moved in here, he built his fortress right on top of the old one. We can talk freely here without fear of unwanted ears." 

"How long have you been down here?" Luke asked. 

Annaïse shrugged and began moving up the passage. "Time doesn't really mean much down here. But that is not the reason you have come." 

"And why have we come?" Mara asked suspiciously. 

Annaïse glanced at her over her shoulder with a knowing look. "You are here to save them," she said matter-of-factly. 

Mara noticed that she said "them" and not "us," but she chose not to comment on it. Instead she asked, "Who exactly is them?" 

"Well, all of them," she replied with a rather surprised tone. "Most of them are so far gone on the spice particles floating in the air that they don't have any comprehension of their existence. But the new ones, the ones who haven't been broken, are waiting for a leader to show them the way to freedom. The ones like your missing crew." 

"They're here?!" Mara exclaimed. "Where?" 

"They've been stationed on the bottom platforms in the cavern," Annaïse informed her. "That's where it's hottest, and some of the poisonous gases from the volcano leak through and intensify the spice effects. It's the fastest way to break a new worker." 

"And the fastest way to get them killed!" Luke snapped. 

Mara put a hand on his arm to still his outburst. She didn't really expect it to work and was surprised when he calmed down. She chalked it up to years of Jedi meditation and patience. But to be on the safe side, she steered the conversation in another direction. 

"What did you mean when you said that this was a trap?" she demanded. 

"The artifacts had nothing to do with this operation except that they brought you here," she said. "Guru knew that Skywalker would have followed the trail of the lost Jedi artifacts across the galaxy and back again. So he made sure he led him here where he could test his new spice on him. He wasn't expecting you though." She nodded in Mara's direction. 

"Why would he need to test it on me when he already has a dark Jedi?" Luke asked momentarily forgetting his cover. 

Annaïse glanced at him and laughed lightly. "I knew it was you from the first moment I saw you." 

"How?" 

She shrugged again. "I don't really know. I've never met the buyer, but I think he has something special planned for you." 

"Why do you say that?" Mara demanded casting a slightly worried glance in Luke's direction. 

"I overheard Guru several cycles ago. He was on a private comm with the buyer and he sounded rather agitated. He said, 'I'll get Skywalker for you in time. Everything is still on schedule. The spice is almost ready.'" 

"Well, it seems like the spice is working pretty effectively," Luke retorted. "Both Mara and I can't read the Force at the moment, and we have no idea how it was administered." 

"I don't know that either," Annaïse replied. "I only see the spice when it is harvested, then it goes to the labs on the uppermost levels of the cavern. After that the spice is sent to a secret distribution center. I've seen the door, but there it is under such tight security that I can't get through to see what they are doing." 

"Where's the door?" Mara asked. 

"It's on the uppermost level on the west side of the cavern," Annaïse said. "I believe it is only a passage that leads to another room in the house. Guru never comes down here, so there must be another entrance from the house." 

"The other entrance is probably less guarded," Mara remarked to Luke. 

He nodded. "We can look for it at the party tomorrow night." Then, glancing at his chrono, he amended, "okay, tonight. In the mean time, we should be coming up with a plan to free the prisoners and find this buyer and neutralize him and this spice." 

Mara allowed herself a smile. "You certainly don't ask much, do you?" Something within her was tweaked by his take-charge, let's get something done attitude. 

"We should stop talking now," Annaïse interrupted her thoughts. "We are getting close to the inhabited parts of the house. 

Within minutes, they stopped in front of a door that appeared to have no handle. Annaïse reached behind a small rock outcropping and triggered an opening mechanism. The door swung outward. Mara had expected to emerge in Guru's office again, but was surprised to find herself in the shared living quarters separating her bedroom from Luke's. 

"I suggest you get some rest," Annaïse said. "The sun will be up in less than an hour, and you have a long day and night ahead of you." 

When she reached for the door mechanism, Luke involuntarily leaped forward. "Where are you going?" 

She smiled patiently. "I have my own quarters." 

"But how will we find you when the time comes?" 

"I'll be around," she replied mysteriously. 

With that, the door swung back into place and melted against the wall. No seam could be distinguished indicating a doorway. Mara shifted her weight uncomfortably. With so many hidden passages in the house, there was no telling when or where she and Luke might be overheard. Then another thought sent chills down her spine. It was entirely conceivable that Guru had men posted to spy on them from these secret passages. 

With this thought in mind, she stepped closer to Luke and made as if to give him a goodnight kiss on the cheek. She couldn't resist a hidden smirk as his face turn pink, but getting back to business she whispered, "Let's get some rest. We can explore the house and the ground more thoroughly tomorrow. It's a good bet that Guru knows who we are, but let's play along and see what we can find out." 

Luke nodded, and the two of them slipped off to their separate sleeping chambers. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Luke checked the wall chrono for the hundredth time and shook his head impatiently. Women always took forever to get ready for anything. He hadn't seen hide nor hair of Mara for over an hour. The only evidence that she was in her bedroom were the muffled curses that filtered through the thin door. He had ceased asking her if she was almost ready a half an hour ago when the only response he got was an enraged shriek. So he sat down on a plush couch to wait. 

Closing his eyes, he took the few free moments to attempt to find the Force again. He had tried several times since though out the day, but to no avail. The Force had receded to the back of his mind, and only a fainting buzzing could get through the barrier was blocking it. It was almost torture to be able to feel his abilities just below the surface, but unable to touch them. He sighed dejectedly, giving up for the time being, and opened his eyes. 

Their excursions during the day had been as fruitless. Guru had taken them on an extensive tour of the house and the grounds. He had assured their every comfort during their stay, which unfortunately involved one or several men waiting on them and providing no opportunity to slip away for some investigating. 

After dinner, they returned to they're rooms and immediately began a search with a body heat detector for any eavesdroppers. They found no one, and a last thorough search of the rooms convinced them they had found all of the listening devices. 

The suite of rooms Guru had given them lacked no luxury. The furniture was made of the finest wood and fabrics from a dozen different worlds. He even provided them with a variety of fruit and nuts in a woven basket set on a small table in front of the couch. Even though he had eaten a large dinner, Luke's stomach growled as he noticed the fruit. So he reached for a date and absentmindedly popped it into his mouth. 

He checked the wall chrono again. Only ten minutes had passed. He no longer heard the telltale rustlings of fabric from the other room, so he dared another inquiry. "You almost ready?" 

"I'm not going," Mara called out from behind the closed door. 

"Hey, it can't possibly be as bad as mine," he replied looking down at his floral print shirt and grimacing. 

"You wanna bet? What am I, a smuggler or a cocktail drink?" She jerked the bedroom door open and marched into the living area. "I'm going have to use nearly all of my make-up just to keep up my disguise. 

Luke's eyes bugged out of his head at the amount of pale flesh before him. He had just tossed a date into the air to catch with his mouth when he noticed her in the doorway. The fruit hit him in the face breaking him out of his sudden immobility. 

"How can you eat those things?" she asked noting the half-empty fruit basket with obvious distaste. 

He didn't even hear her. He felt his breathing falter, and he stood quickly using every calming technique he knew to keep his voice from cracking. A Jedi knows not passion, Yoda had said so many years ago. Well, Yoda never met Mara Jade. 

What did cover her body nearly blinded him with flashy colors of red, yellow and green. Guru had graciously sent them appropriate clothing for his little party that night, and if the style was any indication, it was sure to be a doozy. Her halter top, trimmed with artificially dyed feathers, left little to the imagination, plunging low to exhibit a daring amount of cleavage, more cleavage than he ever remembered her having, and cut high to expose her flat stomach. Her skirt was a long piece of floral material also trimmed with feathers at the bottom and wrapped in a sarong that tied into a knot on one hip revealing almost all of one long, curvy leg and most of the other. Her hair had been pulled back and adorned with big, white flowers. 

Suddenly, Luke collapsed on the floor moaning. "My eyes, my eyes! I'm blind!" He knew he was playing a dangerous game, teasing Mara like that, but he just couldn't resist taking a few pokes at the peacock in front of him. 

Mara placed her hands on her blinding hips and pierced him with a look of pure venom. Finally, he couldn't hold it in any longer, and he clutched at his sides and howled in laughter. 

"Are you quite finished?" she spat. 

"Remind me to compliment Guru on his impeccable taste in evening wear," he replied getting his mirth under control. 

"I didn't think Jedi Masters went for the showgirl look. You don't look so hot either, flower boy," she growled. 

He looked down at his own white linen pants and bright floral tunic and shrugged. "I can't look half as ridiculous as you!" 

In the blink of an eye, Luke found himself staring down the barrel of a hold-out blaster. He wasn't sure which would be more deadly, the condensed energy beam from the blaster, or the green eyes on the other end that were spitting fire at him. He regarded her for a second wondering if she really would pull the trigger. No, she wouldn't, he decided. But it wasn't wise to push her too far, so he stepped back and with a cocky grin added, "I don't even want to know where you hid that." 

That seemed to break the tension, because she rolled her eyes and turned her back on him. She walked over to the mirror and, setting her blaster on the vanity, began systematically yanking all of the feathers from her top. She appraised her work with little satisfaction. Then she bent over to do the same to the feathers on her skirt. Any desire to laugh abruptly disappeared, and Luke had to fight to control other desires that seemed to pop up out of no where. He had always thought she had a nice figure, though the flightsuits she often wore did not exactly give her an aura of femininity. The costume she wore that night showed off curves he hadn't even realized she had. His gaze drifted of its own volition over the soft rise of her rump. 

He tried to shake the thoughts from his head. He couldn't think about Mara in that way. They were friends. It had taken so long for her to even get to a point where she could trust herself to have a blaster and be in the same room with him. And more than that, he was still in love with another woman, wasn't he? Only two things could come from allowing himself to indulge in thoughts of Mara: heartache or personal injury, or both. Neither possibility was very appealing. 

"Stop staring, Skywalker," she said coldly, "or I really will blind you." He blushed fiercely and wondered how she knew he was admiring her without turning around or using the Force. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, hoping he sounded calm. 

She humphed in response, grabbed a green jar from the vanity table and turned to face him. "Look at my face." 

Confused, he did what he was told and looked directly into her eyes. 

"Not my eyes, my face," she corrected. She pointed to her temples and cheeks that were colored green and yellow then speckled in black. "Do you think you can do that on my back?" 

"I'm not a painter, but I guess I can try." 

"Do, or do not, Skywalker, because I can't reach, and I think that it would certainly blow our cover if I go to the party half human, half Annoo-dat." 

Luke gingerly picked up the jar not quite sure what he was supposed to do with it. "Do I need a brush or something?" 

"No, the green is a cream," she replied. "You apply it with your hands." 

He heard her voice catch and noticed she reddened slightly under her face paint. He nodded feeling her discomfort acutely, though she tried to play it cool. She presented her back to him and closed her eyes to the image reflected in the mirror. He knew Mara was not a touchy-feely kind of woman unless she was kicking somebody's butt. The fact that she had even brought herself to ask for his help both amazed and touched him. 

He dipped his fingers into the paint and spread it across her shoulder blades. He could feel the tension in her muscles and the prickly goosebumps that appeared as the cool pigment touched heated skin. A memory came to him of the morning after she freed him from his nightmare. He had relieved her sore neck with just the softest touch of the Force. At that moment, he missed the Force more than ever. 

The paint spread easily over her skin, but soon Luke encountered a problem. The two straps keeping her scanty top from giving way to gravity severely inhibited his artistry. He cleared his throat softly before bringing the matter up with Mara. She seemed to sense his hesitation, and guessed at what the problem was. Her fingers fumbled a bit when she untied straps and modestly held the material across her chest as he continued his work. 

Several minutes passed, and the silence was thickening. Luke struggled to control dormant emotions that decided to awaken at that inopportune moment. Her skin was soft under his touch, but it was not entirely smooth. In several places, his fingers grazed sensitive tissue where old scars had healed over leaving only trace evidence of dangerous past encounters. Instead of being turned off by these imperfections, they only seemed to intrigue him more. He wanted to ask a dozen questions about how she got them and where. He kept quiet, feeling that it was probably something she would rather not discuss. 

The first color was finished, and Mara handed him a jar of yellow paint and a brush. "See how there are only traces of yellow here." She pointed to her forehead and cheeks. "The yellow is really just to accent the green. You won't need very much." 

He nodded in understanding. What a way to learn how to paint, he thought almost giddily. He streaked the brush across her green back creating intricate patterns of green. "Raise your arm," he commanded softly. She complied, and he tried not to notice the gentle swell of her partly exposed breast. As soon as the brush touched her side, she jerked violently. Luke snapped his head up. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" 

"No." 

His brow furrowed in confusion. He could've sworn she was fighting a smile. Shaking his head, he went back to work. But again, as soon as the brush touched her, she jerked. This time she nearly got a yellow streak across her abdomen. He would've been annoyed if he hadn't been sure he heard a small squeak of a laugh. This time, when he brought the brush to bear again, he kept a steady eye on her face. Sure enough, she was fighting with every ounce of strength she possessed to keep from laughing. Luke didn't think it was possible. The hard, cold, steely Master Trader standing in front of him was ticklish! 

He couldn't help himself. It was just too tempting to pass up. With a devilish grin plastered across his face, he swiggled the brush across her side. She couldn't hold back any longer, and laughter burst forth from her. 

"Stop that!" she gasped dancing away from him. 

Crouching into a ridiculous imitation of a predator, he began stalking her with his paintbrush posed to strike. She backed away and held up her hands pleading. 

"No, go away! You'll smudge the paint, idiot!" She leaped over the couch trying to put as many obstacles as possible between her and the crazed lunatic chasing her. Her mobility was severely hampered by the fact that she had to keep one arm securely over her bosom lest she lose what precarious grip she still had on her dignity. 

Luke had no such hindrances. He agilely leaped the couch and ran after her. She made a mad dash for the bedroom door, but he got there first and blocked her way. "Oh, come on, Mara," he taunted. "I haven't finished painting you yet." 

"Oh, that's okay," she countered, "I think I can finish it from here." 

"But you can't just stop an artist in the middle of his masterpiece." He made a lunge for her, and she yelped as she quickly backed out of reach. 

"Skywalker, if you get paint on his skirt, I will take up my pledge again and kill you!" 

"I thought you didn't like that skirt anyway." 

"Well, it's all I have to wear to the party. So go finish getting ready, you psycho!" 

His grin was playfully feral. "I am ready." He lunged at her again, this time catching one arm and holding her while swirled the brush on her skin, careful not to smudge the work he had already done. She squealed and squirmed trying not to laugh and failing miserably. Luke didn't know who was laughing harder, her or him. 

In an attempt to free herself, Mara jerked hard away from him. His grasp was too firm, and the force of the jerk caused her to lose her hold on her top. Gravity caught the material and pulled it fluttering to the ground. For a split second, they both froze. Mara looked horrified. Luke stood motionless as his cheeks burned bright red in the face of her breasts. Suddenly, all fun and games were over. He let her go and turned his back to give her some smidgen of privacy. She said nothing, but grabbed her things and disappeared into the bedroom to finish her make-up. 

She emerged several minutes later perfectly disguised and acting as if nothing had happened. She strode to the vanity mirror and made some last minute adjustments to her attire. Frowning, she pulled and tugged on her skirt in several different ways, but it still would not lay correctly. 

"You alright?" he ventured to ask. 

"Why shouldn't I be?" 

"Well, it's just that - a few minutes ago -" 

"Get over it, Skywalker," she interrupted. "How many times have we dressed each other's wounds. You didn't see anything you haven't seen before, so don't make such a big deal over it." 

Luke opened his mouth to make a retort, but snapped it shut before he could utter it. It was obviously bothering her more than she was letting on, but if she wanted to blow it off, he'd let her - for now. He made a mental note to talk to her at a later date about bottling up her emotions. 

She was still bent over fiddling with something on her skirt. He couldn't see what that could be, as all of the feathers were now strewn about the floor at her feet. With a frustrated growl, she jerked a holster from somewhere in the depths of her skirt. 

"This is never going to work," she muttered. "I'll end up walking like I'm still in diapers." 

"Can't find an inconspicuous place for your blaster?" Luke inquired. 

"Whatever gave you that idea, brainiac?" she replied sarcastically. 

He sighed. "Look, if you promise to be nice to me tonight, I'll show you where you can put it." At her sharp look, he added, "You know what I mean! Now is it a deal?" 

"Are you saying I'm not nice to you?" she asked in seeming innocence. He gave her a knowing look. "Oh, all right, you big baby. I'll be so sithin' sweet, your teeth will ache." 

That last comment didn't sound too promising, but he figured he'd take what he could get. He took the holster from her grasp, held her arm out and began tying the leather straps around her bicep. 

"Oh, no, that's not conspicuous," she mumbled, but she refrained from making any more nasty comments at his warning look. 

Then he carefully extracted several flowers from her hair, careful not to pull any strands from their place in the process. He wove them intricately around the holster leaving a hidden opening between the petals for easy access. When he was finished, the blaster slipped into the holster and vanished among the petals. He stepped back to admire his little floral arrangement. Attractive, but deadly, he thought. Kind of like its owner. 

Mara seemed to like his work. She even smiled. Her entire face seemed to soften with that expression. For a split second, all the hard lines that came from a lifetime of near slavery and mercenary killing seemed to melt away. He felt himself smile back, his heart suddenly feeling lighter with the acknowledgment that she was pleased. He wasn't sure when her moods had begun to affect him, but as long as they weren't fighting, he wasn't going to question it. 

She turned and picked up her lightsabre from the table. 

"There's no way I'm going to be able to hide this," she declared. 

"I'll hold on to it," Luke said as he plucked it from her hand. He slid the handle into the pocket opposite where he had hidden his. "Ready?" 

Mara nodded and turned toward the door. He jumped ahead of her to open it for her, then placing his hand at the small of her back, guided her through. She threw him a quizzical look, but said nothing. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The lift dropped off its two occupants on the first floor. From there, Mara strolled down the grand hallway with Luke by her side. Her entire body tingled. Her every sense feeling clearer, sharper, more alert. It occurred to her that her senses should've felt slightly dulled without the Force, but she chalked it up to the many years of experience she had on covert missions. 

She gave her companion a sideways glance. Something seemed kind of off about him this evening. He seemed distracted, or more distracted than usual. Without the Force, she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Some of his gestures, though they went along with his farmboy chivalry, for some reason seemed out of place tonight. And the playfulness he had exhibited earlier had been shocking and rather out of character. With a mental shrug, she decided there was nothing she could do about it, except remind him to stay sharp. 

From the top of the wide marble staircase, she and Skywalker could see the party was already in full swing. Hundreds of people in fantastic costumes filled the grand entrance and most of the first two floors. Several sipped cocktails from long-stemmed crystal glasses or nibbled on fruity hors-d'œuvres served on wooden trays by servants in perfectly pressed black and white shirt fronts and floral print pants that had been cut off at the knee. One glance at the crowd told Mara that the guests present represented the underbelly of the spice world. Like their dress and manner, their businesses and methods were far from refined. 

Suddenly, Mara nearly did a nosedive down the long flight of stairs as a young woman collided into her. Skywalker caught her arm before she could fall. Any retort died on her lips as Mara gazed in shock at the girl. She was completely naked. The girl seemed unfazed and called out a quick apology before bounding down the rest of the steps, large breasts flying wildly in all directions, to where her date was waiting for her. He was also without clothing. 

"I'm suddenly feeling overdressed for this party," he quipped. 

"If that's the dress code for this party," she commented, "I'm going back to my room." 

Luke grinned mischievously. "Party pooper." 

She arched an eyebrow at the ill-concealed innuendo. That was definitely not a typical Skywalker comment. She wasn't sure how to respond except to shake her head impatiently and reply, "All right, can we get back to the mission? I'll take the ballroom, you take the pavilion. Try to find out as much as you can about Guru and who he does business with, but be discreet. We don't want to raise any suspicions." 

"Yes, ma'am." He gave her a mock salute and bounded down the stairs to join the party that was spilling outdoors. 

Mara watched him in amusement. He would never really grow up. He would play the solemn and brooding Jedi Master for the public, but he couldn't completely hide the thrill-seeking farmboy that still thrived beneath the rigid exterior. She had to admit that his exterior was looking quite dashing this evening, despite the garish style of clothing Guru had loaned him. But then any change from his usual Jedi blacks was an improvement. The floral shirt set off his big, boyish blue eyes like twin sapphires, and the white linen pants hugged just enough of his bu-- Whoa, Mara! she halted herself. She silently cursed Skywalker for taking her mind down that path and shook away her wandering thoughts. This was neither the time, the place, or for that matter the person to be having these thoughts about. She had once made it her mission to kill the man for Force-sake! Even though he had forgiven her long ago, it was still not something easily forgotten. 

The skin on her back tingled where his fingers had gently applied her painted disguise. It was an unnerving sensation, though she had to admit he did a nice job. She took a firm grip on her mind and forced herself to think about the situation at hand. She spotted a small group of flashy guests chatting near the entrance to the ballroom and decided to begin her investigation there. 

* * * *

Luke wandered casually out to the pavilion feeling unusually chipper. His heart was light and his spirit high. There was a bounce in his step that he had thought he'd lost forever. He passed by a perfectly pressed servant carrying a tray laden with glasses of pink champagne. He grabbed one and discreetly poured half the contents into a nearby plant. He hoped the half-empty glass would prevent anyone from offering him a drink. He couldn't afford to dull his already weakened senses with alcohol, but sobriety at this party would definitely seem out of place. Even the wild parties he had attended with the X-Wing squadron didn't compare to this. 

Luke paused as a strange buzzing sensation filtered through his mind. He hoped that perhaps something was trying to get through the spice-induced Force-block that had hit him and Mara. He closed his eyes and reached out his senses searching for even the tiniest clarity in the Force. He stumbled a couple of steps as a wave of dizziness hit him. When he regained his equilibrium, the dizziness was gone, but the buzzing was significantly louder. 

He sighed. The world came back into focus as he opened his eyes. He hadn't really expected it to work after failing at every previous attempt. But despite the disappointing setback, he hadn't lost the feeling of complete relaxation. The air was warm in the rain forest that night, the stars shined brightly overhead, and the many species of plants populating the island gave off a sweet smell that made the simple act of breathing enjoyable. 

Reality crashed in on him. He could almost here a voice sounding distinctly similar to that of a temperamental red-head cut through his musings. They were not here to have fun. They were here to find the lost crew and a dark Jedi. He glanced around almost expecting to see her shimmering neon form. The outfit she wore fit snugly over her curves and revealed a tantalizing amount of skin. More Mara skin than he'd ever seen before. He shook his head needing to regain his focus. Even without the Force he could hear her scolding him for not paying attention to work. 

* * * * *

The first few conversations Mara struck up had given her no clues as to the whereabouts of the missing crews or the identity of the mysterious buyer. She hadn't really expected anyone at the party to have that kind of information, so instead she focused on Guru and his business. And the more she learned about it, the less she liked her gracious host. Most of the guests seemed to revere him as one would a holo-star or famous musician. 

As the night progressed, the conversations became more slurred as whatever beverage had been flowing began to take stronger effect. Some of the lazy eyes and relaxed smiles had a decidedly narcotic look to them. They wanted to talk less and less about business and more on personal subjects. Within an hour, she had been propositioned by three men. She told them in so uncertain terms to keep walking, or staggering as the case may be. Karrde would've been proud at her restraint, she thought sardonically. 

She was getting no where with the guests, so she took the opportunity to explore the rooms leading off of the main gallery and ballroom. Several times she accidentally barged in on couples using the relative privacy to get to know each other better. She didn't bother to excuse herself, and she doubted they noticed her presence anyway. 

She came to a small library that was thankfully empty and slipped inside unnoticed. She fumbled in the dark for some kind of light source until her hand brushed against a heavy object that felt like some sort of metal. Running her fingers over it, she found a button and pushed. She was rewarded with a soft glow that emanated from one of the two antique lamps that stood on either side of the room. Books that must've been hundreds of years old lined all four walls from floor to ceiling in deeply stained wooden cases. She took down a few and leafed through them. Some were really flimsiplast, but most of the collection actually had organic pages. Once again she found herself awed by the richness Guru had surrounded himself with, but she immediately reminded herself just how he came to be so wealthy. 

In random places around the room, several small sculptures had been placed to act as attractive bookends. One statue of a woman in flowing marble fabric caught her eye. She was no art collector, but the design seemed somehow familiar to her. Her eyes widened as her eyes locked on the belt cinching the woman's robes around her slender waist. The closure was an exact match to the amulet she had sold to Guru. This was one of the missing pieces from the stolen cargoes! 

Suddenly the door swung open, and she jumped nearly a meter in surprise. Standing in the doorway was a man with dark curly hair and a predatory grin on his scarred face. His bulk completely filled the doorway. He gazed at her with heavy-lidded eyes, his head swaying slightly from side to side. He reminded her of one of those serpents that hypnotizes its prey before devouring it. 

"Well, hello there darlin'," he drawled and began slithering toward her. "I've been meaning to introduce myself to you all night." 

She backed away from the wall and drifted toward the center of the library where she would have more room to move if she needed to. Her eyes never left his. She put as much venom in her gaze as possible trying to deter him from advancing any further. But in his current state, he paid her warning no heed. 

"What's say we make this a private party, beautiful," he continued. 

"I think I'm partied out," she replied stonily. 

"I really need some company tonight." 

"I'm more of a loner." 

They began circling each other, testing each other's wills. The distance between them slowly collapsed in on itself like a dying star. Mara kept herself perfectly balanced on her feet. Her every muscle coiled in preparation of a strike. 

"You're too beautiful to keep it all to yourself. I'm sure you would like me once you got to know me. You'll find I'm really a nice guy." 

"Nice guys are never self-proclaimed." 

He leered at her with a toothy grin. "Well, maybe I'm not a nice guy, but then no one has ever complained before." At that moment he decided to strike. His arm lashing out to catch her wrist and bring her the rest of the distance to him. But she was ready for him. Using her momentum as he pulled her toward him, she brought her knee up to groin level and made contact. The man immediately doubled over and gasped for breath. He glared up at her with pure hatred. He must have been a strong species, because he was only stunned for a moment, whereas any other man would have been wondering if he would ever be able to breed. 

But before he could counter-attack, another man entered the library. His demeanor and voice smooth and calm. "Ah, Samil, I see you have met Trader Asaro." He appeared to be unaware of the tension in the room, though he must have seen enough from the doorway. 

"Guru!" the man cried, his interest in Mara completely gone in the shadow of his revered leader. 

"I heard that you came into a new shipment of yabbat spice," Guru continued. "I would be pleased if we could arrange a little shipping deal. Shall I set an appointment for tomorrow afternoon?" 

"Oh, yes, yes," the man practically drooled. "I'll go get everything prepared right away." 

"Good. I'll tell my assistant to expect you tomorrow." 

The man understood the underlying dismissal and quickly scurried from the room, any thoughts of a nocturnal conquest forgotten in the honor bestowed on him by Guru. Mara looked after him in disgust. Then she turned on Guru with a particularly hard look. He gave her a friendly smile, but it was no less threatening than that of the man who had just left, only better disguised. 

"I could have taken care of him, myself," she said as neutrally as possible. 

"Oh, I don't doubt it," Guru waved her off. "The man's a buffoon, but he supplies me with lucrative products, and he needs to be in one piece to do that. I'm merely protecting my business interests, you see." 

Mara only nodded. Guru guided her out of the library, down the hallway and into the ballroom. He placed a hand on her back, and she deftly moved out of reach. The men certainly were getting "touchy-feely" tonight. She noted that he never asked her why she was in the library in the first place. Either it was a common enough occurrence to disregard her presence there, or he already knew why she was there. Caution dictated that she believe the latter. 

They entered the grand ballroom. Across the room, Mara was stunned speechless. She spotted Skywalker laughing gaily with a couple of stunning women showing a daring amount of skin, though not quite as daring as the two nudists they had run into on the stairs. Apparently, he had decided he would blend in better by doffing his own shirt and pants as well. He was in excellent shape, and the Yavin sun had kept his skin a golden brown, unlike the pale spacers occupying the room, which made him an instant attraction for the women. Sporting only a pair of shorts, he looked like he was having a grand ole time. He whispered something into one of the women's ears, and she immediately burst into a fit of giggles. Mara couldn't decide whether to be shocked or furious. The great Jedi Master was actually flirting! 

Their eyes locked. He threw her a dopey grin and a pathetic wave. The women turned to see who had distracted their prize catch from them. Seeing Mara, each one wrapped an arm possessively around Skywalker's waist and gave her identically catty smiles. Her eyes shot daggers at the women and the lout between them. He was supposed to be working, for sith-sake! She crooked a finger sharply at him, commanding him to come to her. 

He gave each woman a peck on the cheek and bounded happily over to her. Using every ounce of restraint she possessed, she opened her mouth to comment on his lack of work-related activity. But before the first sound could escape her lips, he wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug and twirled her around once. 

"Hey, Skye!" he greeted, giddily stressing her false name. 

"Put me down," she seethed under breath. The last thing she needed was Skywalker drawing attention to them. At least he had remembered their cover. He complied. She turned to Guru with as much composure as she could muster. A moment passed between Guru and Skywalker that could have only been described as territorial. "Would you please excuse us for a moment, Guru?" she asked politely. 

He tore his cool stare away from Skywalker to give her an understanding smile. "Of course. I should probably go attend to my other guests anyway." With a slight bow, he moved off into the crowd and soon disappeared. Skywalker's cold gaze never left his retreating back, until Mara dragged him by the arm to a less populated corner. 

"What the hell is wrong with you? I don't even want to know why you're wandering around here in your underwear," Mara ranted at quietly as possible. "We are supposed to be working, not living it up with the local space junkies." 

"Just tryin' to fit in, doll," he drawled. "But you are so gorgeous when you're jealous." 

Mara's jaw dropped nearly to the floor. It was several seconds before she could speak. "Are you drunk?" The notion seemed ludicrous. She had never seen him drink to excess in all the ten years she had known him. But it was the only explanation for his odd behavior. 

"Nope. I'm perfectly lucid." He brushed a finger along her cheek. She batted his hand away impatiently. "Everything is suddenly very clear," he continued. 

She looked at him in confusion. "You can feel the Force again?" 

His eyes took on a sparkle that was not unpleasant except for being uncharacteristic. He moved closer until there was only a hair's breadth between them. Mara felt every muscle in her body freeze while every instinct in her brain told her to flee. He bend down so his lips were almost touching her ear. In a husky voice, he whispered, "No, but you could feel the force." 

Her brain must not have been functioning properly. She tried to digest the words, but they just didn't make any sense to her. Then she felt his hands sliding down her bare back, tighten his embrace, and ending finally with a gentle squeeze of her buttocks. Her eyes flew wide, and her instincts finally regained control of her motor functions. With an enraged screech, she shoved him as hard as she could, then her right fist made solid contact with his jaw. Skywalker slumped heavily against the wall and rubbed his chin in confusion. Mara turned on her heel and stomped out of the ballroom ignoring the inquiring pairs of eyes that had witnessed the entire episode. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Luke shook his head and pulled himself up off the floor. He noticed for the first time several pairs of eyes staring at him in amusement. Putting on his best carefree smile, he shrugged. "Women!" 

That earned him a few chuckles, and everyone seemed to turn back to the party. He shook his head to get rid of some of the bees that were still buzzing in his head. Mara certainly did know how to throw a punch. 

On the other side of the room, Luke spotted a group of guests dressed in cloaks similar to that of Guru's disappear behind a partially hidden door. Going on a hunch, he followed them through a dark opening and down a winding stone staircase. He remained in the shadows as their leader lit a torch that cast long, menacing shadows along the rocky walls. The group moved rapidly down a long corridor seemingly well acquainted with its various twists and turns. 

After what seemed like several meters, they suddenly stopped causing Luke to almost trip out into view. He pulled himself out of sight around a bend in the corridor and strained his ears to pick up any bits of conversation. But the buzzing in his ears was growing louder again making him fight off a brief moment of dizziness. He was growing more and more concerned about his body's reactions to whatever Force-block had been put on him and Mara. It was wreaking havoc on his equilibrium, which could be dangerous if he needed to do some fancy footwork. He just hoped she was faring better than he was. 

The whispering ceased. Luke dared to peek around the corner only find that he was now alone. The group of men had vanished leaving him at the end of an empty hallway. Annaïse came to mind, and he surmised that there must be a hidden passage in the wall. He made a mental note of its location to tell Mara when he caught up with her, that is if she was still speaking to him. 

Luke found his way back to the party and began roaming the hallways in search of Mara. He descended a staircase wondering absently how many staircases there were in the mansion. This one led to a dimly lit corridor that was obviously below ground level. A few guests with euphorically happy expressions on their faces entered or exited from the several closed chambers that lined the hallway. He looked away embarrassed as some of those guests seemed to have forgotten their clothes inside the room. He fervently hoped that Mara was not in any of these rooms. 

A feeling in his gut warned him that he was not going to like what was behind those doors. Swallowing hard, he slowly inched one of the doors open and peered inside. The cloud of smoke nearly made him double over, and he had to fight to keep from coughing. Through the haze, he could make out several couples, in several different positions, all naked, but none with telltale speckles that made up Mara's disguise. Turning bright red, he quickly ducked back into the hallway and nearly ran smack into a woman. 

"Hey!" she cried, surprised. 

"Sorry," he muttered without looking up and turned to run back up the stairs. But a strong, feminine hand grasped his arm. 

"That's okay, Wyll," she cooed. 

"Auria," he choked out, his vision still a little blurry from the smoke. 

A deep, throaty laugh bubbled up from her throat at Luke's distressed expression. Guru's assistant, Auria, was a tall woman with thick, pale blond hair and curves in all the right places. And the sparkling red dress she wore hugged all those curves leaving little to the imagination. "You look like you got blasted a bit too hard by the smoke," she said, her full, red lips moving slowly. "Let's go get some fresh air." 

She led him unresisting back up the stairs and out into the gardens. Torches burned between the trees, lighting the winding pathways. The night air was balmy, but it didn't seem to clear Luke's head as much as he would've liked. His throat felt slightly scratchy, and he couldn't get his heart to return to a normal pace. Auria seemed to sense some of his discomfort and suggested he take a sip of the Champagne he still held. Hesitatingly, he obliged. 

"Feel better?" she asked. 

"Yes," he lied, fighting to keep his equilibrium. 

"Not a big conversationalist I take it," she teased. 

Luke giggled absurdly. "My brother-in-law often thinks he could have better conversations with a rock." 

"Oh, I don't know," she purred and brushed seductively against him. "I'll bet you're more interesting than a rock." 

They kept walking, but Luke felt his limbs getting heavier with every step. His movements became sluggish. The guests thinned out as they moved farther from the main house until finally, there was no one left on the path except them. Thunder rumbled in the distance and fat raindrops began to sprinkle down upon them. The sounds of rushing water came dimly to his ears, and he realized they were on a low bridge overlooking a river that wound across the grounds. Without the torches, the river looked like a streak of black through the deep green shadows of the rain forest. 

"It's very romantic out here, don't you think?" Her voice sounded hollow and distant. It echoed eerily off of his ears making him giggle once more. "Kind of reminds me of Yavin IV in a way." 

He stared at her speechless. 

She caressed his face lovingly. "We don't have to wait any longer, Luke." 

His surprise finally pierced through the fog that was enveloping his brain. He seized her hands and forcing as much lucidity into his voice as possible. "How do you know my name?" he whispered. 

She smiled. Lightning cracked over head, and before his eyes, her hair deepened to ash-blond, her crystal blue eyes dissolved into gray. Her entire form changed. His jaw dropped and he blinked several times, his mind refusing to believe that it was seeing what it had desired for so long. Suddenly he felt the strength leave his legs and he sagged against the railing. "Callista?" he murmured in a daze. "It can't be you." 

"Oh, but it is. I've found my powers," she whispered excitedly. "Just like I knew I would. Now we can be together, like before." 

She held out her arms, and he collapsed gratefully into them. Their damp clothing clung to their skin like the reunited lovers clung to each other. He squeezed her tightly vowing to never let her go, and still not quite believing she was really there. "I've missed you so much. I thought I would never see you again," he managed to choke out. "What are you doing here?" 

"There's so much I have to tell you," she gushed. "So much you need to understand. Come away with me." 

Luke pulled away from her. "What? Now?" 

"Yes, let's leave this place. It's not safe here. I have a ship." 

"But Mara, and the mission," he began. 

Her gaze grew steely. "What about her? She can take care of herself." 

"I can't just leave her," Luke insisted. "She needs me." 

"I need you," she replied. "Luke, we've waited so long to be together. I still love you." She moved closer, pressing her body up against his and forcing him back against the handrail. Her face loomed close to his until their lips touched softly. "Come away with me," she whispered against him. "We have to hurry before -" 

The buzzing in Luke's mind was deafening, almost drowning out the words he had longed to hear. He closed his eyes, and burrowed his face in her hair. Her scent was intoxicating. The entire forest seemed to disappear. Nothing existed but the two of them on the bridge. He wanted nothing more than to stay like that forever. 

"I love you, Luke," she whispered in his ear. 

"I love-" His mouth felt dry and refused to work properly. His tongue felt large and heavy in his mouth making his words slur. Something nagged at the back of his mind. "Mara," he exclaimed suddenly. "I have to stay and help Mara." 

Callista jumped back as if she had been burned. He cracked open his eyes, his lids feeling strangely heavy. She drew close again, but then suddenly she was careening wildly and rapidly receding. Then he felt the impact of his body on the surface of the river, and his body was submerged in the cool swirling waters. 

By some miracle, instead of sweeping him downstream and out to the ocean, the river pushed him up against a group of large rocks. His muscles refused to work properly, but he managed to get a handhold on one of the rocks and used the river's own force to keep him in place. Try as he might, he could not pull himself from the black waters. If he didn't get help soon, he was sure he was going to drown. _Mara!_ his brain screamed. But she wouldn't be able to hear him without the Force. His hopes shrunk. He was too far out for someone to just happen to discover him. His heart wrenched. He had lost Callista once again. Despair began to cave in on him. Rain pounded against him as he laid his head against the rock and contemplated just letting go. 

* * * * *

Mara had stormed off and found herself in the vicinity of the kitchen. She ducked and dodged as harried servers bustled in and out of kitchen carrying large trays of hors d'œuvres. She snatched a small, pink, gelatinous morsel that looked like some kind of seafood. It still had its eyes, and they glared at each other for a full five seconds. She couldn't help thinking that this slimy creature's blue eyes were almost the same shade as Skywalker's. And that only refueled her anger. Her green eyes glittered in cruel revenge as she popped the morsel mercilessly into her mouth. 

Vaguely she became aware of someone urgently whispering her name. The crowd was thinner where she was standing, and she soon spotted a familiar blond head bobbing up from behind one of the large potted ferns. Annaïse, trying to keep as much out of sight as possible, was wildly beckoning to her. Alarmed, Mara made her way quickly across the room. As soon as she was within reach, Annaïse grabbed her hand and pulled her behind the plant. 

"He's trying to poison you!" she whispered frantically. 

Mara gave a small start. "How? Tonight? There are too many people around, too many witnesses." 

"I overheard them when I was passing by the kitchen earlier. I tried to warn you, but you had already gone," she rambled on. 

Mara had to take her by the shoulders and give her a little shake. "Okay, take a deep breath and start again. How are they going to poison us?" 

"They wanted to do it tonight, because the poison makes you act drunk. It's a new drug that can't be traced, so when they found the bodies it would look like an accident." 

"Where is it?" 

"The fruit basket, the one in your room." 

Mara's eyes grew round, and her face grew pale. She had tasted the fruit and spit it out in disgust. But Skywalker, he had nearly devoured the entire bowl. And then his odd behavior earlier ... Mara felt guilty for being so angry at him. She turned to Annaïse with panic in her voice. "I have to find Skywalker, fast." 

Without another word, she leaped out from behind the plant, startling a passing couple, and dashed back to the ballroom. She scanned the room but saw no sign of Luke. She spotted Guru in the opposite corner and resisted the urge to march over and throttle him. There was a couple conversing in the corner they had occupied only minutes before. Mara questioned them with the compassion of an interrogation droid as to whether or not they had seen where the man she had been talking to earlier had gone. They laughed at her seeming change of heart and nodded toward the door that led out on to the pavilion. 

A few people still lingered on the decks overlooking the rain forest, but due to the late hour and soft rumbling in the distance, most had retired with old, new or borrowed loves for the night. The temperature had dropped noticeably, and black clouds blotted out the stars. Many of the torches along the pathways had already been put out throwing the ground into complete darkness. Every instinct in her body told her to follow the darkened path, so she grabbed one of the still burning torches and obeyed. 

The torch did not offer much in the way of illumination, but the path was kept well-groomed and free of roots. The first large raindrops began to fall, hissing as they encountered the flame. Small puddles grew, and Mara nearly slipped in the pooling mud. Within minutes, the few drops became sheets of rain soaking her through to the bone. The torch was now useless, so she tossed it heedlessly behind her. She paid no attention to the dark, wet discomfort. Her only thought was of getting to Luke in time, and her gut told her that he did not have much time left. 

Ahead, a break in the trees appeared as if some great god had slashed through the canopy with a knife. The path dipped sharply, and Mara found herself looking down on a narrow wooden bridge traversing a small river. Lightning cut across the sky illuminating two people who stood intimately close to each other. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she recognized the slim form of Luke with a dark-haired woman pressed up against him. The woman leaned forward with one hand on his chest in what looking like an attempt to kiss him. But instead of kissing him, she pushed Luke backwards over the railing, and he disappeared from view. The resounding thunderclap drowned out the sound of his body as it hit the water, but not Mara's cry of surprise and fear. The woman froze as if caught in the headlights of an oncoming speeder. A bolt of lightning illuminated her face revealing her to be Auria. Then just as quickly, she bolted into the forest. 

Mara half-slipped, half-ran kamikaze down the slope, thoughts of _accidental_ drowning swimming in her head. She could just see it in the news: _Jedi Master drowns after getting smashed at S & M Guru's hidden palace._ She would have laughed if the circumstances hadn't been so dire. 

She came to a skidding halt at the railing on the bridge and peered anxiously into the murky depths. The water swirled black and ominous giving her an odd sense of déjà vu. "Skywalker!" she yelled. "Luke!" 

No response came. She squinted into the night praying that the river hadn't swept him too far downstream. Lightning flashed again, and something glinted back at her in the sudden brightness. Thank the gods for those neon flowers on his shirt! She could barely make out Luke's body clinging helplessly to a large rock jutting out of the middle of the current that was pulling at him hungrily. Without a second thought, she tossed off her shoes and hurled herself over the railing and into the choppy waters below. She fought back a gasp as the shock of the cold water made her lungs suddenly contract. There was no time to concern herself with that as the river swept her rapidly toward her friend. She had to swim hard to keep from passing him. In moments, she was at his side and grasping the rock. "Nice night for a swim." 

He opened his eyes slowly. "She's gone. She's really gone." 

"Yeah, well, I never thought blondes were your type anyway," she replied flippantly. 

He didn't respond. 

"Well, now that I'm here, how about we swim to shore?" she replied, her voice strained with relief, fear and physical exertion. 

"I knew you'd come," he said, his voice taking on an eerie tone. "Never doubted it for a minute. You always come for me. You never give up." 

"Yeah, well-" Mara wasn't sure what to say. Luke was smiling like a madman at her, his earlier despondency vanishing as suddenly as it had come. He was downright scaring her with these weird mood swings. 

"Are you still mad?" he asked suddenly. 

"I'll be mad later. Right now I'd like to get off this rock." 

"Well, that's easy, silly," he snorted with laughter. "Just let go. Look no hands!" 

"Skywalker!" Mara grabbed him furiously by the collar to keep him from being swept away. "Hold on!" 

"You have no sense of humor," he grumbled. 

"And you have no common sense. Now can we please swim to shore?" 

"No can do. Don't know how to swim, and my arms and legs feel funny. Can't move them very fast. See?" He let go of the rock with one hand and waved it slowly in front of her face, nearly slipping again in the process. 

Mara grabbed him to keep him from floating away. "Stop doing that!" 

"Oh, yeah, I forgot," he replied sheepishly. 

Mara's next comment was drowned out as a nearby explosion showered their faces with jagged shards of rock. She whipped her head around and through the rain and darkness saw the briefly illuminated face of their attackers as they took another pot shot at them. This time the red bolt of energy came within centimeters of slamming into her head. 

"Looks like we've worn out our welcome here," she commented tersely. She wiped the water from her eyes and searched frantically for some kind of cover, but they were dangerously out in the open. "Do you think you can remember to hold on to me until I can get us back to shore?" 

A dopey grin spread across his face oblivious to the peril they were in. He reached out, but quickly drew back and looked at her skeptically. He looked like a child who had finally been given the toy he had been coveting for hours, but questioned why it was being given to him. "Are you going to hit me again?" 

She didn't know whether to laugh or scream. "No, I'm not going to hit you! But I might leave without you if you don't get it in gear. Now grab onto my waist. And try to keep your head above water." 

Skywalker obediently wrapped his arms around Mara's waist. She pushed off the rock toward shore not a moment too soon. Behind her the rock exploded into pieces as a blaster bolt hit it. Simply trying to get herself from the rock to the shore would have been hard work, but carrying the dead weight around her waist was impossible. She kicked her powerful legs against the current, but it was too strong. The shore continued to slip by them in the inky darkness as they were washed down river, but at least it was taking them out of range of the snipers. 

They had been swept several kilometers downstream when a new sound deafened Mara's ears. There was roaring up ahead, and it was getting consistently louder. She felt her stomach drop as she realized they were moving faster and farther from the shore. 

"Skywalker, try to kick!" she shouted desperately. His legs began awkwardly thrashing below her. Occasionally a foot would find its way painfully thrust into her legs. They made no progress against the current, and Skywalker's flailing was causing him to lose his grip on her waist. She could not see more than a meter or so in front of her, but the roaring water and the rapid current told her that they were almost upon the falls. Instead of struggling, she turned and wrapped her legs and one arm around Skywalker using the other arm to tread water. 

"Skywalker, it's no use. Stop kicking," she instructed. "Just hang on to me and don't let go. And remember to hold your breath." 

Lucidity flitted across his face as the seriousness of the situation finally hit home. "I'm sorry I got you into this mess," he said woefully. "Just let me go. You can't save us both." 

"Shut up, Skywalker," she ordered. "I'm not going to let you go! We're going to make it. I know it. Now hold on to me!" She was relieved to feel his arms tighten around her. At least he wasn't going to be stubborn this time. 

A few seconds later, they tumbled over the falls like leaves scattered in the wind. They fell for what seemed like forever, the waterfall pushing them faster and faster toward the river below them. Mara clung to Skywalker by sheer force of will. She was not going to let him die like this. After an eternity, they finally hit the water below with a sickening slap that nearly knocked all the air out of her lungs. Mara began kicking with all her might toward the surface. She felt her lungs screaming for air. She began to see spots has her brain began to shut down from lack of oxygen. 

Just as she was about give up and take a breath, her head splashed out of the water. Coughing and sputtering, she hauled Skywalker's head into the misty air at the bottom of the waterfall, but he wasn't breathing. She fought down her panic and swam toward the calmer waters of the cove the powerful falls had created. When her feet finally touched the rocky ground, Mara dragged herself and Skywalker up the beach where she immediately rolled him on his back, pinched his nose, covered his mouth with hers and began forcing air into his lungs. Still his didn't respond. 

"Come on, Skywalker, wake up!" She slapped him smartly on the face and continued to give him air until she felt light headed. His body remained unmoving. She fought down tears and tried frantically pumping his stomach, anything to get the water dislodged. 

"Damn you! You are not going out like this! Breathe!" She pressed her lips against his, and this time she was rewarded with a small response. Suddenly, he began to spasmodically cough up all the river water he had swallowed. She backed up to give him breathing room, but all she really wanted to do was throw her arms around him and thank the gods he was still alive. 

They collapsed in an exhausted heap on the rocky sand. The rain continued to pound on their bodies, but she didn't have the energy to find immediate shelter. She lay on the ground for several minutes breathing heavily and contemplating how much river water she had swallowed until she felt Skywalker's eyes on her. 

"What?" she demanded blinking water from her eyes. 

He was laying next to her on his stomach with his chin resting on his hands. He looked completely at ease and maybe even a little pensive despite being so near death only moments before. "You look great wet." 

She groaned. "Poisoned or not, I should've left you for the fishes." 

"You've been poisoned?!" 

"Not me, you. You know those dates you liked so much?" 

He nodded. 

"Well, our gracious host added something to give them a bit more kick." 

"But I feel fine," he protested. Then with a wicked half-smile he added, "In fact, I'm feeling better than I have in ages. You saved my life." 

He inched closer, his face hanging precariously over hers. Rivulets of water rolled down his face and dropped on to hers. Lightning stuck again, lighting up his features and making Mara's heart skip a beat. He was going to kiss her, and she had to stop it. He wasn't thinking clearly. She said the first thing that popped into her mind. "Callista." 

That seemed to make him pause. His brow furrowed. Mara wasn't sure if it was in sorrow, anger, frustration or confusion. After all, she did promise not to speak of her again. Thunder raged overhead. 

"What about Callista?" he finally asked dejectedly. "She's gone, just like all the others. I had my chance, and I blew it. You'll leave one day too, you know." The playfulness was gone from his voice to be replaced with a fatalistic hopelessness that gave Mara chills. She tried to shrug it off as drug induced rambling, but her instincts told her that she was hearing a fear that he had been burying for years. 

As quickly as it came, it was gone. Once again he was grinning down at her playfully. This time she didn't try to stop him from kissing her. She didn't have to. His sluggish muscles miraculously came to life as he jumped to his feet and dashed into the trees. She grimaced at the sounds of his uncontrollable retching. 

He emerged from the forest a few minutes later wiping his mouth and shaking uncontrollably. He sank to his knees on the sand and wrapped his arms around his body to keep them from trembling. Mara knelt beside him and put a comforting arm across his shoulders. She brushed his wet hair away from his eyes. His forehead was incredibly hot, and she suspected that more than rain water was streaming down his face. She felt him shudder against the cold night air. 

"Do you think you can walk?" she asked softly. "We should try to find some shelter." 

She felt him nod. 

Draping his arm across her shoulders, she tried to help him to his feet. Her muscles strained under his weight. "How do you get yourself into these messes, Skywalker?" she demanded light-heartedly, but she could hear the worry in her own voice. 

She searched his pants pockets for his lightsabre. He didn't even seem to notice. The rain drops sizzled against the green blade. The dim glow didn't not extend more than a meter or so from the lightsabre, so she picked a direction at kept them in a valley between two small mountains and hoped it would lead to some kind of shelter. It was slow going as she had to cut a path through the dense foliage. Her eyes began to adjust to the dim light, picking out the shadows of night against the darker shadows of obstacles in her way. The region appeared to have been hit hard by storms the evidence of which often presented itself as large fallen trees and broken rocks littering her makeshift path. 

Luke had to stop every few meters to empty his stomach, and after the third trip behind a tree, she wondered if there was anything left for him to throw up. At first he refused her help, but after nearly tumbling into his own vomit, he reluctantly allowed her to help keep him steady. "You owe me big after this," was all she said. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Guru ducked as a flying crystal statue exploded against the wall near his head. He grimaced but held his tongue. Better to let Auria get her frustrations out on his artwork than on his person. He didn't know what had stirred up her rage, but he was fairly certain it had something to do with their two missing guests. 

"You imbecile!" she screeched. Her hair tumbled wildly over her shoulders and her face was twisted with anger. She glared fiercely at Guru forcing him to take a few nervous swallows. "How could you manage to screw up delivering those poisoned dates? Jade was supposed to get those, not Skywalker." 

"But, Master, they were delivered specifically to Jade," Guru interrupted. He forced his voice to remain calm. He would not let this wench intimidate him. "Apparently, Jade doesn't like dates." 

"This whole disgrace of a party was a foolish idea," she continued to rant, barely even pausing for breath. "They already found the hidden lab last night, and who knows what else they've discovered wandering around tonight." 

"The party seemed like a good idea," Guru defended. "It was the perfect cover to get rid of them without anyone suspecting. As it is, if Skywalker hasn't already succumbed to the poison, then their bodies were probably dashed to pieces on the rocks at the bottom of Danna Falls." 

"You were supposed to get rid of Jade, not Skywalker," she repeated hotly. 

"If wanted him alive, then why did you push him into the river?" he retorted. 

That outburst earned Guru a solid backhand across the face. He touched the small trickle of blood that dripped from his nose, but he kept his cool. Once the credits were transferred into his account, he would deal with impertinent bitch in front of him. 

"He slipped," she said. 

"What is so important about Skywalker?" he demanded. 

"That is none of your concern," Auria replied, quickly regaining her calm."And, no, they're not dead." 

Guru remained silent. He knew Auria could not read the Force any better than Skywalker or Jade could, but it would have been futile, if not suicidal, to point that out. Even without the Force, Auria had proven herself a formidable foe. Obviously this obsession with Skywalker had grown into a more personal matter, and that made him nervous. A feeling of foreboding swept over him. Plans never turned out the way you expect when you let personal feelings get involved. 

"They've fled into the forest," she continued. "Find them and bring them back here. Alive." 

"Yes, Master, but why not just kill them? We've already proven that the spice works, and with the two Jedi stuck here on the planet, that leaves Yavin IV vulnerable." 

"Do what you like with Jade," she spat, her ire peaking again. "She means nothing to me. But Skywalker must be taken alive. When you capture him, bring him directly to me. We'll deal with the Jedi Academy when the time comes." 

"As you wish, Master," Guru responded humbly. 

"And, Guru," she said menacingly, "do not fail me again." 

Guru made a half-hearted bow and swept out of the room. 

When he had gone, Auria retreated into an airtight chamber off to the side of the room and locked the door. Wincing slightly, she let the air filter drop from her nose. She took a deep breath of unfiltered air. *Fool,* she thought at Guru. She could feel his defiance building, but she would have to deal with him later. 

In the center of the room, she sank down on to a velvet cushion and began to mediate. Her disguise melted away as she enfolded herself in the darkside of the Force. Her thoughts searched the forest for Luke Skywalker. She could feel his presence faintly, but could not pinpoint his exact location. His thoughts were hazy as he was locked up in a battle to fight the poison that had mistakenly been inflicted on him. But one thought became crystal clear. 

The one stable image in the swirl of emotions and thoughts overflowing his brain was of Mara Jade. Callista had never liked that woman. She was dangerous and unpredictable, and entirely too attractive to be allowed in the company of the Jedi Master. If not for Jade, she was sure Luke would have come away with her. His loyalty to Jade and their mission would soon fade, she was certain of it. He was still uncertain as to whether or not he had really seen his long, lost love, but once he saw her again, everything would go back to the way it was before she lost her powers. It had to, or she had sacrificed everything for nothing. 

* * * * *

In another chamber of the mansion, Guru had summoned the captain of his guards. The captain stood at silent attention awaiting his orders. He gave him a once over, allowing the silence to convey the severity of the situation. 

"It's time the party ended," he informed him. "I will make a short announcement, then have your men escort everyone out of the complex." 

"Yes, Sir," he responded crisply. 

"Did you see how far downstream the river swept the Jedi?" he demanded. 

"No, Sir. We lost sight of them after they went over the falls." 

"Send a squad into the surrounding forest and find them. Remember, they must be brought back alive." 

"Yes, sir!" 

* * * * *

The storm eased up somewhat. The thunder and lightning had dissipated, but the rain continued to fall softly. Mara began to wish she hadn't shucked off her shoes during the rescue. Hiking through dense rain forest at night in heels would not have made the trip any faster, but it might have saved her a substantial amount of pain as sharp rocks or hidden branches cut into her bare feet. Luke seemed not to notice. He had lapsed into silence as speech took too much of an effort. She could feel his fatigue in the weight of his body slumped against her. He was not a large man, but he felt like he weighed as much as a Wookiee. When she looked over at him, his eyes were tightly closed trying to block out the nausea. He was trusting her to guide them through the dark undergrowth safely. 

After what felt like kilometers, they finally stumbled into an area where the trees parted slightly creating a natural pathway. Broken rocks littered the way, and Mara thought no one had probably traveled through there for centuries. She suppressed a small cry at the punishment inflicted on her feet. Her back muscles joined her feet in screaming at her for a rest. She paid them no heed and continued trudging along. 

She noticed the rocks began to have a pattern to their appearances. She came to the conclusion that this had once been a road, but the wilderness was slowly reclaiming the territory this man-made object had stolen from it. Her hopes rose. Where there were roads, there were people, and where there were people, there was shelter. 

_I feel something._ Mara jumped slightly. Luke hadn't said a word for hours. She had thought he was only half-conscious. The lightsabre bathed his face in an eerie green light. _I feel it._

"One more crack about my dress and the rain, Skywalker, and I swear I'll -" Only then did she realize that he hadn't actually said anything. She heard it through the Force! She reached out and felt the Force clearly and unscrambled. It was like welcoming an old friend home. It surprised her how much she had missed it. She rarely used the Force, but it was comforting to know that it was always there if and when she needed it. She felt Luke immediately slip half-way into a healing trance. Hopefully, he could fight off the poison long enough for her to get them to a shelter where he could heal himself fully. Hang in there, Farmboy, she sent him. 

Calling on the Force, all her reserves and sheer willpower, Mara continued down the broken road with renewed strength. But she had gone no more than three steps when suddenly the ground beneath her gave way, the loose rock unable to support their weight. With Skywalker's limp body unbalancing her further, she tumbled off the path and down the short slope. Instinctively, she turned her body to protect Skywalker from a majority of the impact. As she crashed into the ground, she had to squeeze her eyes shut and bite back a cry of pain as her ankle buckled under their combined weight with a sickening crack. For several seconds all she could do was concentrate on breathing steadily, willing the pain to dissipate. 

Gritting her teeth, she rolled Skywalker off of her and forced herself back onto her feet... and quickly found herself back on the ground. She spotted the deactivated lightsabre less than a meter away, reached for it and ignited the blade. Holding it's light cautiously close to her, she inspected her injury. Besides the bloodied scars from the trek through the forest, her ankle was already starting to purple and swell to three times its original size. 

She cursed under her breath. Why me? 

Waving the green-white blade toward the surrounding trees, she tried to regain her bearings. She obviously was not going to be able to continue hiking with an injured ankle and a poisoned Jedi to take care of. Then to her left the light spilled on to a giant hollowed out tree grinning maliciously at her. From the blackened trunk and the thin undergrowth she surmised that the area had witnessed a fire in the not too distant past. And though the site sight would have appeared ghastly to any who encountered it, to Mara it was a welcome relief. She struggled to drag both of them to the dark alcove of the tree. 

"Well, it may not be a room at the Imperial Palace, but it will keep us out of the wind and rain," she told Luke, who was still only semi-conscious. 

Mara half crawled, half dragged herself and Luke into the tree. She carefully laid him against the back wall of the tree so he would have the most protection from the elements, then she collapsed next to him unable to fight off the fatigue any longer. He was unaware of the conscious world, all of his efforts locked up in a battle against the poison that was slowly eating away his body from the inside. 

Mara wrapped her shivering arms around Skywalker's deathly cold body trying to give him as much body heat as she could. She closed her eyes and reached out with the Force to offer whatever extra help she could. He seemed to absorb her strength. Letting out an exhausted breath, she soon joined Skywalker in the comfortable space of oblivion, her last thought a prayer that he would still be alive when she awoke. 

* * * * *

Luke felt himself trapped in a whirlpool of pain and fatigue. Its boiling waters battered him from all sides without relenting. He could do nothing but flail helplessly like a piece of driftwood lost in the middle of a turbulent ocean. Through the waves pounding against his skull, he heard the never-ceasing cackle. It taunted him. It wanted to hurt him, torture him. He thought he recognized the voice, any yet it was different from anyone he knew. 

Then suddenly the waters calmed. The laughter subsided to be replaced by the whisper of a soft breeze. A light began to peek through the murkiness, warming and comforting him, buoying him against the cold darkness. He struggled to reach consciousness. With a great deal of effort, he lifted his eyelids halfway. They felt like they had been glued shut. He forced his eyes to focus. Again he found himself in darkness, except for a glowing pair of violet eyes that seemed to fill his entire field of vision. Cool fingers gently caressed his forehead nearly lulling him back to unconsciousness. He blinked and they were gone. 

He felt movement beside him and a familiar presence in the Force. As if his head were a lead ball, he slowly turned, and his nose and mouth brushed against damp hair. He was too tired to suppress the ironic grin that spread across his face. Mara lay sprawled over half his body, clinging to him as tightly as he had clung to her on Jade's Fire. He kissed her softly on the forehead, silently thanking her for saving his life - again. Then oblivion wrapped itself around him and he was asleep. 

* * * * *

Mara awoke the next morning to rays of sunshine glaring in her eyes. She squinted groggily through the brightness as she took in her surroundings. Their temporary quarters were not much nicer in daylight as they were at night. Above she could hear the scratching noises of forest creatures' claws against the bark. She just hoped that the resident of the tree had not taken offense at its unexpected visitors. Wincing slightly she reached behind her to extract a rock that had embedded itself into her side while she slept. 

She looked down at Skywalker who was sleeping next to her - well, under her - and felt his forehead. He was still feverish, but his temperature seemed to have dropped drastically since last night. The healing trance must've worked, she thought. At some point during the night, he had come out of the trance, and now he worked at regaining his strength. She sat up slowly, so as not to wake him. It would just be too awkward if he realized that they had spend yet another night in each others arms. The corners of her mouth quirked uncontrollably at the thought. 

Testing her aching muscles, she slipped out from under the blanket and tried to stand. She immediately regretted it as red hot pokers shot from her toes, tripled at her swollen ankle and continued straight through her legs made her immediately regret it. She bit back a cry and sank to the floor in front of the dying fire where she inspected the damage done to her feet. 

Realization hit her like a jolt from the Death Star. Blanket? Fire? She didn't have time to contemplate the meaning of these surprise items. She felt a presence through the Force and it was approaching the tree. Mara stumbled back on her knees grabbing for her lightsabre. 

"It's me!" Annaïse cried softly, poking her head into the tree. 

Mara finally recognized her, but felt silly for feeling threatened by the child. She laughed away her ridiculousness. "So that's where the blanket and fire came from," she said in a low voice. "How did you find us?" 

The girl shrugged. "I guessed." She set down the bundle she was carrying and ignored Mara's skeptical look. "I brought you something to eat and some clothes. I hope it's okay, I had to go through your stuff to get it." 

Mara gratefully accepted the piece of bread she held out to her. She ate ravenously, then washed it down with a swig of water. "It's not poisoned it is?" she asked only half-kidding. 

Annaïse smiled. "How is he?" she asked timidly. 

Mara glanced at Luke on the floor. "He's sleeping. The fever has gone down, but he is still very sick." 

"He's very strong. No one has ever survived Guru's poisons before." 

"Guru does this often?" 

"Sometimes." 

"Is anyone going to miss you back at the fortress?" Mara ventured to ask. She sat down next to the girl and nibbled on a root Annaïse had offered her. 

"Most people don't even know I exist," Annaïse replied. "Has he woken up yet?" She nodded toward Skywalker's lump under the blanket. 

"Are you kidding?" she snickered. "He could sleep through an exploding star, a space battle and an Ewok celebration party. He's can be so oblivious sometimes." 

Annaïse gave her a curious look, but changed the subject. "You look different." 

Mara inspected a lock of hair. The rain had washed out most of the auburn dye, and the red-gold peeked through the mud. She looked down at herself and snorted ruefully. An unwashed heathen is what she looked like. Her once brightly colored skirt was now dirtied, ripped and dull. She had bruises and scratches up her arms from dodging friendly branches and rocks in the middle of the night. Her feet and ankle were swollen and blotched with ugly purple bruises and angry red scabs. In a word, she was a mess, one, big, painful mess. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The sleepy haze engulfing Luke began to recede allowing reality to come crashing back in. Mara's voice drifted into his ears, and he dimly realized that she was talking softly to someone. Slowly he cracked open his eyes. The light stung him at first, but his pupils adjusted. He was surprised to see Annaïse sitting with Mara at the entrance of the hollowed tree. He noted the fire and the blankets and guessed who had brought them. The muscles throughout his body were stiff and sore from the exertions of the previous night, causing him to groan as he sat up. 

Mara looked up at him with a worried frown. "How are you feeling?" 

"Like I just went ten rounds with an angry Wookiee," he ruefully joked, but the circles under his eyes and the lines in his face betrayed how exhausted he still was. He tenderly rubbed the bruise on his jaw and added, "Actually, that's probably not far from the truth." 

A barrage of emotions flashed at him from Mara, but she threw up her barriers before he could analyze them. Events from the previous evening gradually came back to him, and he wondered how much Mara had seen. He pushed those thoughts aside. He couldn't deal with that at the moment. First, they needed to regroup, then worry about the possible ramifications of who he'd seen. 

"Thank you for the fire and blankets," Luke said turning to Annaïse. "But how did you find us?" 

"She guessed," Mara interrupted. "She brought us some food, too." 

Mara crawled over to Luke with a piece of bread. Though she tried to be careful, she couldn't help but knock her ankle around. She clenched her teeth against the pain, but Luke wasn't fooled. 

"You're hurt!" he exclaimed. Despite his own screaming muscles, he moved over to her. "Let me look at it." 

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I probably just sprained my ankle." 

She began to crawl back over to the fire, but Luke placed a firm hand on her leg. 

"Keep still," he commanded. 

Mara complied, she had no choice. Luke reached over and pulled her foot gently toward him. His face was grim as he inspected the swollen ankle and crusted blood on the bottom of her feet. Cuts of all sizes criss-crossed down her legs and arms. He tried to hide the wave of guilt that swept over him. She was hurt because of him, because she saved his life. 

He poked at a spot above her ankle bone. "Does this hurt?" 

"Well, it doesn't feel spectacular," she retorted tartly. "But it's manageable." 

"This?" he asked poking another spot. 

"Fine, now are you-OW!" she cried and glared at him. 

"I think you might have fractured it." 

"You think?" she spat trying to control the shooting pains in her ankle. 

"I forgot what you're like without your caf in the morning," Luke grunted. "I'm not exactly a healer, but I think I can speed up the healing process with the Force." 

Mara slouched against the tree wall. "Go right ahead, Dr. Skywalker," she said with a wave of her hand. 

She watched as his eyes closed and his hand ran up and down her lower leg barely even touching the skin. Immediately some of the pain began to ebb. 

"You'll be all right. I've sped up your body's ability to heal, but you will have to stay off of it for at least a day." 

"Yeah, right. I don't expect to stay in Ugly Tree Hotel another night. We'll just have to find a way to put a splint on it and hobble out of here." 

Luke gave her a dubious look, but let it go. Instead he took up the piece of bread she had offered to him and bit into it ravenously. 

"Do you even have a stomach left after last night?" Mara snorted. "I thought I saw you leave it behind a few trees." 

Luke reddened. "Yeah, um, thank you - again. You always seem to be getting me out of trouble." 

She gave him a small smile before turning to Annaïse, who had been silently watching the exchange. "So how about those clothes?" 

"You might want to wash before you change," Annaïse suggested passing her a backpack that looked much too big for her shoulders. "There's a small stream less than a kilometer from here." 

Mara made a face. "Great, more water. What I wouldn't give for a nice, dry sonic shower." Well, at least I'll be clean, she thought. 

"At least you'll be clean," Annaïse echoed. 

Luke caught Mara looking at her sharply. He had heard Mara's thought too and wondered if the girl was Force-sensitive. It would explain how she found them so easily. He stretched out tentatively with the Force. He brushed something within her, but it was unlike anything he had felt before with the students at the Jedi Academy. What he felt was more like a distortion of the Force. He shrugged it off. Perhaps Annaïse was just not very powerful, or he maybe was still feeling the after effects of the spice. 

Mara dug around in the pack and pulled out a pair of black boots. Grunting and biting her lips against the pain, she pulled one boot onto her foot, the other foot still too swollen to fit inside the other. She struggled to her feet, slung the pack over her shoulders and limped two steps before sagging against the wall. Luke shook his head half in exasperation and half in admiration. He summoned his own strength, took the pack from her and wrapped her arm over his shoulder. 

"You helped me last night," he said firmly before she could object. "Now let me help you." 

"You couldn't support a baby nerf, Farmboy," she argued. "You're still too weak." 

"I'll manage." Luke was surprised that she didn't offer any other arguments. 

"Follow me," Annaïse said. "I'll show you the way." 

Slowly, they climbed up the small rise onto the broken road. The sun was still low in the sky, and it's rays reflected off the wet leaves making the forest seem to glitter. The storm had left the forest feeling clean and new, and the birds could be heard singing from their nests high in the trees. The air still held its morning crispness, but the sun was rapidly warming the fugitives. 

A short way down the road, they came upon an ancient village that had degenerated to mostly rubble. A few of the buildings remained standing, but their roofs were missing entire sections and the walls were badly damaged. The road ended at the foot a large mound. Broken steps led up to what looked like a temple, a dome halved open and chipping at the edges. 

"Do you know who used to live here?" Luke asked. 

Annaïse shrugged. "No one really knows. Some of the natives that Guru captured sometimes speak of a lost tribe of witches and sorcerers. They say they practiced black magic and defied the gods. The gods became angry and destroyed the village." 

Luke was fascinated. He wondered if maybe they had been Force-sensitives. Many primitive peoples had mistaken the Force for a type of witchcraft in the past. 

"Do think there were witches here?" Luke asked. 

"Perhaps, but there are many abandoned ruins on the island," Annaïse replied. "These people may have been attacked by another tribe, or disease or natural disaster." 

"I hate to interrupt the archeology lesson," Mara interrupted, "but we should get cleaned up and get a move on. We don't know how long until Guru's men catch up with us." 

Luke nodded his agreement, and Annaïse showed them down a small, muddy trail between two huts that led to the creek. 

"Just give me a yell through the Force, and I'll come help you back up the trail," he said helping Mara onto a large rock on the bank.. 

"I don't need a human crutch," Mara retorted testily. 

Luke simply shook his head. It was pointless to argue with her, so he turned to Annaïse. "When she's ready, come get me." 

The girl nodded and smiled. 

"I don't need a babysitter, Skywalker," Mara growled. 

"No, but we need you at 100% if we are going to defeat Guru and Ca - catch the dark Jedi." Luke caught himself in time, and he hoped Mara didn't notice his slight stammer. He would have to tell Mara eventually about seeing Callista, but he just wasn't ready to talk to her about it yet. 

"I'll go wash up downstream," he informed her. He pulled his clothes out of the backpack and he wandered off. 

Mara placed her bundle on a dry rock and peeled the remains of her outfit gently from her body. She couldn't be happier to get rid of it. The creek was narrower and shallower than the river from the night before. A cluster of rocks trapped the cold water in a small pool. Mara lowered herself into the makeshift bathtub and gasped as the cold water made her skin prickle and her nipples tighten uncomfortably. She willed her body to get used to the cold and reclined against a smooth rock. She washed away the mud and make-up, wincing as her hands grazed her cuts. Feeling a pair of violet eyes on her, she began to feel self-conscious and glanced over at Annaïse, who was quietly sitting on a rock and staring at her. 

"What are you looking at?" she inquired a bit more sharply than she intended. 

Annaïse seemed unfazed by her tone. "Your cuts. They may get infected." 

"Yeah, well, I'll put some bacta patches on them when I get back to my ship." 

Annaïse hopped off the rock and disappeared in the trees. 

Mara was never sure what to make of this new friend. She was a mystery, this one. Sometimes she seemed like a small child, with a child's fears, thoughts and dreams. At other times she seemed as wise as an old woman with an entire lifetime behind her. They really didn't know much about her, and any attempts to dig into her past had resulted in a quick change of subject. Mystery or not, this girl had helped Luke and her twice now, and Mara felt indebted to her for that. 

Annaïse emerged a few minutes later with a hand full of thick leaves. Mara had finished her bath and was sitting on a rock pulling a clean pair of pants and a tank top from the backpack. 

"Let me see your cuts," Annaïse ordered. 

Mara frowned at her. She was tired of everyone treating her like an invalid. But she held her tongue and complied. 

"This will help them heal quicker and fight off infection," she informed her. She broke the thick green leaves in half and squeezed its jelly-like substance onto her hands. She tenderly rubbed it over the cuts on Mara's arms, legs and feet. Mara expected the medicine to sting and was surprised when she only felt a cool numbness. 

"You know, we could stay in one of the huts until tomorrow," Annaïse proposed. "It would give you time to heal." Just the mention of immobility made Mara squirm uncomfortably. She opened her mouth to protest, but Annaïse cut her off. "You need take care of Luke anyway." 

Mara snorted and began to dress. "He's fine. You saw him. As long as he has the Force, Skywalker can take care of himself. Believe me, he's got a knack for getting himself into trouble, and he's well-practiced at getting himself out of it." 

"He's still weak even if he won't admit it. And he would've died last night if not for you. You saved his life." 

Mara shifted uncomfortably. "He would've found a way back to shore. And he's out of danger now - of the poison anyway." 

"Only if you stay with him. You draw strength from each other. Everyone needs help sometimes," Annaïse said wisely. "Even Jedi Masters and Master Traders." 

* * * * *

Luke stood knee deep in the freezing water and furiously scrubbed away the dirt that clung determinedly to his skin. He shivered each time he splashed water on himself. He couldn't even feel his feet anymore. So at the earliest possible moment he hopped out of the water and pulled on his pants and tunic. Reaching out to Mara with the Force, he only felt mild relaxation emanating from her. I guess she isn't done with her bath yet. Seizing the opportunity, he walked back to the ancient temple they had passed earlier. 

First, he walked around the entire base of the mound. The gray stones were pockmarked from centuries of weather and neglect, but in some spots, Luke could still see where at one time the stones had presented a surface so smooth, it could have been mistaken for duristeel. The surface sloped upward with a gradual curve that formed a plateau at the top for the temple. The only access to the temple would have been the now broken stair way in the center of the front side of the mound. 

Luke climbed the tall, narrow stairs. He experienced a slight case of vertigo as each step seemed to slope backwards throwing him slightly off-balance. His pulse was racing when he reached the top, and he had to pause for breath before continuing. Not a pleasant sensation when he was used to scaling large hills without breaking a sweat. 

Inside the temple dome was a row of six flat boulders arranged in a semi-circle opening out to the entrance. Luke surmised that the Force-sensitives or the ancient priests probably sat around the circle praying to their gods or passing tribal laws. 

Luke wandered farther into the dome where writing had been etched into the wall. Most of the writing was in pictographs and complete gibberish to him. Half way through his examination, a symbol caught his eye. He brushed away the moss and peered closer, his eyes growing wider as realization dawned on him. He ran his fingers over the symbol to convince himself that he wasn't hallucinating. The symbol matched that on the amulet that Mara had sold to Guru. 

Now Luke was confused. He and Mara had been certain that the artifacts had just been a ruse to lure them to the planet. What would the odds be that Callista had actually found the final resting place of the Guardians of Light? He shook his head. It was almost impossible, but then the Force rarely made perfect sense. 

Luke sat down on the top step and gazed through the treetops. The remains of the desolated village spread out below him. A wave of sadness swept over him at the thought of Callista. Had that really been Callista, or had his mind played a trick on him? If that really was Callista, then the identity of the dark Jedi was obvious. He took a deep breath. If she really had turned to the darkside, then he would just have to show her the way back to the light. 

He reached out with Force trying to touch any residual signature that Force-sensitives had lived here. What he felt was not the distant presence of a lost civilization, but a single dark mind searching him out and several menacing ones closing in fast. In the distance, he could barely hear approaching the speeders. His eyes flew open, and he ran down the steps. He had to get to Mara and Annaïse before Guru's men found them. 

* * * * *

Mara had just finished checking the charge on her hold-out blaster when a jolt from her danger-sense flashed through her. Pulling out her lightsabre, she reached out with her senses to find the danger. She detected Luke right away, and he was running toward them in a state of anxiety. Not far off she could hear the approaching speeders. 

"Come on," she said sharply to Annaïse. "We need to get out of here." 

Mara stood, temporarily forgetting about her ankle. Swearing under her breath, she forced the pain away and hobbled up the bank toward the village and Luke. Annaïse gathered up the backpack and forgotten boot and followed her. 

Luke came into view before they had gotten even half way to the village, his face flushed from sprinting. 

"We can't go that way," he informed them. "They are almost to the village, and they'll see us." 

"How did they find us so fast?" Mara demanded of no one in particular. 

"They probably found the path that you cut last night," Annaïse replied. 

Mara smacked her forehead and groaned. "Then they've probably already found the tree and fire, so they know we're in the area." 

"We'll just have to hide among the trees," Luke responded. 

"You go on ahead," Annaïse urged. "I'll lead them away from you." 

Before either Luke or Mara could stop her, she tossed Mara her boot and dashed off toward the village. Luke turned as if to go after her, but Mara held him back. 

"She obviously knows these forests pretty well," she assured him. "She'll be all right. But we won't be if we get caught, and neither will the Jedi academy if we can't destroy that lab." 

Luke obviously didn't like it, but he acquiesced. He slipped his arm around her for support, and they ran back down the path. 

"We should cross the creek to confuse any trackers they might have brought," he said. 

Mara nodded and took a step toward the water. She had to suppress a startled squeak as she found her self unceremoniously swept up into Luke's arms. 

"Put me down," she hissed in exasperation. "This is no time to be gallant." 

"This is no time to lose time," Luke panted trying not to slip on hidden rocks. 

Mara furrowed her brow. She could tell he was struggling slightly, so instead of fighting him, she lent him some of her Force strength. Immediately, he breathing became more regular and his movements quicker. He threw her a glance of surprise mixed with something else, but she looked away. 

Once across the creek, Luke ran with Mara still in his arms through the trees until they came to a rocky cliff about ten meters high. 

"We'll hide up there," he stated. Using the Force, he lifted them up to the ledge and then masked their presence in the Force from the dark Jedi. They laid flat on their bellies and peered over the ledge to watch for Guru's men. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Mara and Luke laid motionless for several minutes, straining their ears for any sound of approaching enemies. Through the trees, they could see the bank of the creek they had just fled from. Suddenly, Mara caught sight of something that made her stomach drop. The tattered remains of her dress lay in a shapeless heap between two rocks. Instinctively, she moved as if to retrieve it, sprained ankle be damned. 

_It's too late_, Luke whispered to her through the Force. 

As if on cue, the low-hanging branches on the far side of the creek swayed slightly before three bulky men with heavy blasters broke into view. Luke and Mara tried to make themselves as invisible as possible while still spying on their pursuers. Mara's jaw twitched in helpless frustration when the men immediately spotted the forgotten clothing. Mara could see the leers spread across their faces, but they were too far away to make out any words. 

The men fanned out over the bank looking for other clues as to their prey's whereabouts. Mara's entire body tensed like a coiled spring under the pressure of this game of hide-and-seek. She was sure they would find them, but she was not going to go down without a fight. 

_Calm down_, Luke said gently through the Force. _They won't find us_. 

"Don't -" she hissed, but was silenced by Luke's warning look. _If we can't hear them, then they can't hear us, Skywalker,_ she sent him and tried to shrug off the claustrophobic feeling she always got whenever he was in her head. _Isn't it more likely the dark Jedi might hear us through the Force?_

_She can't hear us,_ he replied, refusing to look at her. 

_She?_ Mara looked at him sharply and threw up her mental barriers. There had been an almost undetectable note of sadness in his thoughts. This wasn't the first time during the morning she had noticed it, but she had assumed that he was just feeling guilty about the night before. Did he know this dark Jedi? Was she one of his former students? 

She grabbed control of her thoughts. She was about to ask him about his connection to the dark Jedi, but the tired and worn look on his face stopped her. He was sweating even though the temperature was still at comfortable, almost cool levels. Making sure her movements were hidden from sight, she reached over and gently touched his cheek. His skin was clammy and colorless. 

He jerked slightly at her touch. 

A splash brought them abruptly back to their precarious situation. One of the men had begun to cross the creek. Mara tensed, aimed her blaster over the edge of the small cliff and waited for the man to come into range. 

_If you hit him, the others will call for back-up_, Luke warned. 

_I know, but we could take down these three and make a run for it before the others arrive._

_We'd never make it. I'm still too weak, and you can barely walk._

_Well, then what do you suggest? Surrender?_ Mara spat. 

_Patience,_ he replied calmly. 

Mara was about to explode when the approaching man suddenly halted mid-creek. The leader gestured for him to return and began pointing downstream. The three men moved out of sight, and Mara saw Luke visibly relax. She narrowed her eyes at him. _I hate it when he does that,_ Mara thought petulantly, making sure to shield her thoughts from him. They remained prone on the ground for several more minutes in case Guru's men decided to come back. 

"Do you know who the dark Jedi is?" Mara asked, remembering her earlier surprise. 

Luke was silent for moment, and there was no mistaking the pained look that flitted across his features. He glanced up to meet Mara's penetrating gaze, but he could not hold it. Finally, he simply nodded. 

"Callista," he replied just above a whisper. 

Mara felt a shock explode through her body. She struggled to keep her emotions from bubbling to the surface. A thousand questions posed on the tip of her tongue. "How do you know?" she asked calmly. 

"I saw her. Last night. On the bridge." 

An uncertain wave of relief washed through her. "I saw the woman on the bridge, and that wasn't Callista. It was Guru's assistant, Auria." 

"No, it was Callista," Luke insisted. "Didn't you see her disguise dissolve? It was all an illusion of the Force." 

"Are you sure? You were pretty far gone last night, Farmboy." 

"At first, I thought maybe it was the poison playing tricks on me," he admitted. Finally, he mustered the strength to look directly at her, and she tried not to look too concerned about the deepening circles under his eyes. His eyes told her everything. He was certain he had seen Callista, but at the same time he did not want to believe it. 

"And now?" she asked. 

"I felt a dark presence just now, searching for us. It felt so foreign, yet so familiar at the same time. Callista has turned to the Darkside, and she is more powerful than ever." 

Mara fought down her anger. She knew that look that had entered his eyes. He felt responsible for her loss of the Force, for her leaving him and now for her turning to the Darkside. And he wouldn't rest until he had turned her back to the Light. Even if he had to sacrifice himself to do it. 

"This isn't your fault, you know," she said. "Callista made her choices, she has to deal with the consequences." 

"I can't just leave her and let the Darkside consume her," Luke argued. "If she can be saved, then I have to do everything in my power to help her." 

Mara let out a resigned sigh. "I know." 

Just then, Annaïse burst through the trees behind them with a wide grin on her face. "No need to worry about those buffoons Guru sent after you. I left them a trail that will have them walking in circles for days!" 

"Good work," Luke congratulated her. 

"How did you manage that so fast," Mara asked, slightly incredulous. 

Annaïse merely shrugged modestly. 

_I should've known better than to ask,_ Mara reproached herself. 

"They won't be back this way for a long while," Annaïse continued. "So you can rest in one of the huts in the village." 

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Mara argued. "What if they decide to backtrack?" 

"They won't," she replied. "Trust me, you'll be safe. Besides, from the looks of you two, I doubt you'd make it very far." 

Mara grudgingly admitted she was right, so the three of them limped and trudged back across the creek and up the path to the village. 

* * * * *

Mara passed the day at Luke's side as he slumbered. He had offered to put her into a healing trance, but she refused. If those goons did come back, both of them would be needed to fight. And she just plain didn't like the idea of being completely vulnerable to attack. So, he made her promise to rest and stay off her feet. 

Annaïse came and went at will. Somewhere she found more food and some dry wood for a small fire in the hearth. She really was an amazing little girl, Mara thought. 

Mara slept on and off, trying to conserve her strength, but Luke's earlier revelation had left her feeling wired and anxious. She could feel something ominous on the horizon and felt helpless against it. And Mara did not cope well with feeling helpless. 

She withdrew into her protective mental shell and tried to admire Luke's bravery and selflessness, but she could not shake the feelings of emptiness, loss and pain that would follow if he chose to sacrifice himself for Callista. Not just Callista, she reminded herself, but anyone special to him. Luke may get on her nerves from time to time, but she had to admit that she would miss him if he were gone forever. 

Mara mentally shook herself. This was no time to be worrying about what ifs and possibilities. But she swore to herself that if she got to Callista first, Luke wouldn't have to worry about saving her, because she was going to throttle that girl into the next galaxy for all the pain she had caused. 

Luke's exhaustion had knocked him out cold for the entire day. But he must have felt as anxious as Mara, for his sleep abruptly changed from blissful to fitful without warning. He never woke, but sometimes Mara caught wild thoughts from him as he dreamed. He must have felt every emotion in the spectrum at some point during the day. She felt happiness, sadness, fear, panic, excitement, nervousness, hopelessness and more come from him. She couldn't make much sense of them, and she didn't really want to. It felt like an invasion of privacy, so she tried to ignore them. 

Mara itched to do something active. She gazed out the small, broken window wishing she could explore this ancient village they had stumbled on. But she had promised to "stay put", and honestly, her feet enjoyed the rest. However, she felt guilty for sitting on her bum while Guru and Callista were planning the demise of the Jedi, and probably the New Republic as well. They needed a plan. They couldn't hide out forever. 

Through a broken window she watched the sky grow dark as night descended on them once more. She looked around for something to do, but the hut was sparse in offering anything to pass the time. Her right leg had fallen asleep from inactivity, and the tingling pinpricks were about to drive her crazy. She inspected her feet. The bruises were still bright and discolored, but the cuts had healed to small pink scars. Annaïse had left again to find dinner, so she gingerly got up and began walking around the room. Walking was still uncomfortable, but at least she wasn't limping and hobbling like some old crone. The circulation felt wonderful to her. 

She had just completed her fourth lap when Annaïse entered with an armful of vegetables. She gave her a disapproving look, but Mara glared back at her defiantly, picked up a log and tossed it on the fire. She was tired of playing the helpless invalid. Annaïse could play house with someone else. The young girl just shook her head, handed her what looked like a yellow root and sat down in front of the fire pit. 

"Should we wake him up for something to eat?" Annaïse asked nodding at Luke's softly snoring form. "He hasn't eaten all day." 

"No, I think sleep will do him more good than food," Mara replied. "I think by tomorrow he'll be as good as new." 

Silence filled the hut. Mara could tell the girl wanted to say something, but was either trying to find the words or the courage to do it. 

"Sometimes it helps if you just spit it out," Mara said impatiently. 

"He loves you," Annaïse declared without hesitation. 

She burst out laughing. She wasn't sure what was funnier, Luke being in love with her, or an eight-year-old telling her that it was so. "You don't know what you're talking about." 

Annaïse's brow furrowed, not quite getting the joke. She looked old and wizened as she contemplated Mara's reaction. 

"He's in love, but not with me," she explained. "Sith, I spent most of my life trying to kill him!" 

Annaïse's eyes took on a faraway look that made her look almost Jedi. Mara could feel a small tremor in the Force coming from the young girl. "Callista hurt him deeply," Annaïse murmured almost to herself. 

Mara's eyes narrowed dangerously. "How do you know about her?" 

"Gaeriel, too," she continued seeming not to hear Mara. "Every woman he's ever loved has either left him or died." She leveled her gaze directly at Mara. "I've seen you together. I've heard how you talk to each other, how you look at each other. You trust and depend on each other. You can't tell me that he doesn't love you, or for that matter that you don't love him. Last night-" 

"Last night," Mara interrupted her, "Skywalker was poisoned. He didn't know what he was doing or thinking." 

This time it was Annaïse's turn to laugh. "You think _he's_ oblivious?! I saw it long before he ever ate that fruit. But if you want to talk about the poison, fine. Do you know what kind of poison it was?" 

Mara had to admit that she didn't. But why should that matter as long as he didn't die? "You said it makes people act drunk. Drunk people don't know what they do," she insisted. 

Annaïse shook her head impatiently. "Excuses, excuses. Others think you're drunk because the poison strips you of your inhibitions. Guru sometimes uses it as a truth drug. You say and act the things you want to with out thinking. Luke was doing what his heart wanted to do all along, but his fear wouldn't let him." 

"Well, let's not make it sound too dramatic," Mara retorted sarcastically. 

The girl bristled. "Maybe Guru should've poisoned you. I wonder how much it would've taken to get you to let down _your_ barriers. You're just as scared as he is. Personally, I think the both of you cowards are being ridiculous!" 

"What does a little girl like you know about love anyway?" Mara countered viciously. 

Annaïse laughed scornfully. "Always so quick to judge what your eyes tell you. When are you going to take the blinders off, Mara?" 

Without saying another word, she hopped up and wandered outside. She didn't say where she was going, for how long, or if she would be back, but then Mara didn't care much at that point. It had been a disturbing conversation, one that she didn't want to think about. She and Luke were friends at best. Obviously, for all of Annaïse's eavesdropping, she had not discovered that Callista and Auria were the same person. And now that Callista was back in the picture, Luke was rapidly becoming caught up in trying to save his one true love. 

Mara snorted at the idea of her and Luke. But the seeds had been planted in her mind, they only needed time to germinate. She stared thoughtfully into the fire and didn't see Skywalker's eyes open to curiously regard her back. 


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note: I just want to thank everyone for the awesome reviews. They inspire me to keep writing. Also, a special thanks to Jedi 2-B for pointing out an oversight on my part. If you see anything else I've missed, please feel free to tell me about it. Okay, now on with the story. 

**Chapter 16**

"I do not tolerate delays," Pellaeon said menacingly. 

Callista thrust her chin out defiantly, something she never would have done during Grand Admiral Thrawn's reign. But then Thrawn's second-in-command was not as ruthless as his predecessor was. The mantel of command was too heavy for Pellaeon's withering shoulders. 

"It would be better to wait an extra day or two to insure that Skywalker and Jade have been taken care of," she replied reasonably. 

"They should have been taken care of the moment they landed," he retorted. "I have given you much leeway in regards to Skywalker, Callista. Do not make me regret the decision." 

Callista let out an irritated sigh. "Skywalker will not pose a threat once he is with me. And Jade days are fast coming to an end." 

Pellaeon glared at her contemptuously. "We'll see. I will wait two more days, but if the situation has not been resolved by then, I will come down there and resolve the matter personally. And believe me, you will not like my solution." 

His aging visage dissolved, and Callista switched off her comm unit. She sat alone in her chambers gazing out the window at the expanse of green forest. Somewhere in the dense foliage, Luke and his tramp eluded Guru's men. The corners of her mouth turned up. Luke was too smart to allow himself to be captured by the morons Guru employed. 

She reached out with her senses, searching for his familiar presence. He was trying to conceal himself from her, but she could detect him somewhere in the vicinity of the Mt. Ange. She could almost feel the confusion and the anguish flowing through him. Their connection was too strong for him to hide from her. But she would not chase him. In his confused state, he would only run away. No, she would let him come to her. Knowing his irresistible compulsion to save the innocent, even the not so innocent, he would no doubt come looking to find her – to save her from the Darkside. All she had to do was wait. 

But Mara Jade. Callista scowled. Something would have to be done about her. Callista could never figure out why Luke felt so connected to that woman. She would never have pegged Luke as the type to fall for the tortured soul with a dark past type. Jade was colder than the top of a mountain at the north pole of Hoth. She was hardly a woman at all, yet for some reason Luke seemed to feel drawn to her. 

Suddenly, Callista's eyes lit up with an idea. She turned back to her comm unit and summoned Guru. 

"Yes?" he responded. Callista made a mental note to deal with his impertinent disrespect. Later. 

"Have your men found Skywalker and Jade?" she asked, knowing full well that they had not. 

"Not yet, but they have picked up their trail heading for our Mt. Ch'ameki – directly to our fortress in fact. We will have them soon." 

Callista smirked maliciously. "Your men will not find them there. They are following a trail that has been planted for them." 

"How do you know?" he demanded. 

"Because I am not a simpleton," she nearly shouted. "I know how Skywalker thinks. They will head to their ship on Mt. Uzbira first for supplies and probably to contact the New Republic. If they alert them of our plans, all this will have been for nothing. Send your men to wait for them at their ship. When they arrive, capture Jade, but let Skywalker go." 

"What?!" Guru stared at her in disbelief. 

"You will of course make sure the ship's communications are destroyed," she continued as if he had said nothing. "And take care that you do not permanently damage Jade." 

"Are you crazy?" he exploded. "You want us to let Skywalker go? I know you have some infatuation with him, but he will destroy our plans and bring his sister and the whole New Republic down on our heads!" 

"Guru!" Callista snapped. "You will not question my judgment again. I believe you have forgotten just who is in control here. Do not make me remind you." 

Guru shut up, but the defiance remained in his eyes. She knew he thought her to be powerless, but he would not dare attack her for fear of recuperations from their superiors. 

"Now, you will do as I say," she continued. "Capture Jade. Do not worry about Skywalker, he will come to us." 

Before Guru could reply, she abruptly switched off the comm unit. She simmered with anger for a moment and vowed that before this thing was over, she would have Guru's entrails strung from the highest tower of the fortress. 

* * * * *

Luke awoke before dawn the next morning. He stretched his muscles and was somewhat surprised to find the space next to him empty, for he had begun to grow accustomed to waking up next to Mara. He had spent much of the previous night watching Mara as she watched the fire slowly die. Fatigue had finally overcome him, and he once again fell into a deep sleep. Mara now lay peacefully snuggled up in a blanket on the other side of the hut. 

He enjoyed watching her during these unguarded moments, though he knew that she would probably take exception to it if she were awake. These musings brought back memories of the argument he had witnessed between Annaïse and Mara. Annaïse's revelation had jarred through his body as each word was spoken. As he watched her in the dying firelight, he could feel the conflict within himself. He wasn't sure how he felt about anything anymore. 

He got up slowly, testing the strength of each leg before putting his full weight on it. The poison no longer posed a danger to him, and he was beginning to feel strong again. He knelt down by Mara's side and brushed a loose tendril of red-gold hair from her face. She no longer wore her disguise, and Luke had forgotten how lovely her natural color really was. If Mara hadn't come when she did, he probably wouldn't be standing here now. She seemed to sense him, even from the deep oblivion of sleep, and presently rolled over to present her back to him. Geez, even in her sleep she is aloof, he thought. Then with an inaudible sigh, he left her sleeping form and wandered outside. 

The sky was gray with a few streaks of pink pre-dawn light. A cool breeze snaked through the crumbling buildings of the ancient village. Unlike at Guru's fortress, the Force flowed easily here, each living thing resonating with the energy of life. Luke inhaled it, absorbed it, let it refresh his weakened body. Feeling revived, he took off at a leisurely pace into the surrounding rain forest. He needed to think, to sort things out. His thoughts and feelings were a confused jumble in his heart, and his chest physically ached under the strain of it. Not far into his walk, a small clearing opened up before him. He wandered to the very center where he knelt down, his knees sinking into the soft, dew-sprinkled grass, and fell into a deep meditation. 

* * * * *

When Mara awoke, she noticed Skywalker's makeshift bed was empty. A sort of relief wafted through her. She didn't want to have to talk to him yet. There was too much on her mind. Welcoming the moment of solitude, she got to her feet tested her ankle, and finding it able to support her weight with no pain, she wandered outside and began a leisurely walk through the forest. 

Her boots rustled through the wet underbrush as she roamed through the trees. Several varieties of brightly colored flowers filled the air with their sweet, musky scent. Overhead, Adega's native birds offered their song to each other as they gave into the primordial mating rituals that invariably accompany the spring. She was tempted to lose herself in the beauty of the place, but her mind continually fell back on the argument she had had with Annaïse the night before. The thought that Skywalker could fall in love with her, his former would-be assassin, seemed ludicrous to her. Even if he had been able to see past her previous life, he was still in love with another woman. 

The hum of a lightsabre broke through her thoughts. He was nearby and, as far she could tell, hadn't felt her presence yet. She immediately turned to head off in the opposite direction. But even as she told herself to go, she felt herself drawn to that sound like an insect to a glowrod. That annoyed her, but she pressed on. 

Using a cloaking technique she had seen him use many times, she drifted as noiselessly as possible toward the spot where she knew Skywalker would be. A spark of annoyance hit her again as she realized that she had been using a lot more of the Force than usual in the past few days. Maybe she should complete the training. The Force is just a tool, she reminded herself. If Callista had grown as powerful as Skywalker feared, then the more practice Mara had at wielding the Force the better. It would be logical to equip herself with the tool that would best do the job of defeating a Dark Jedi. 

Mara halted abruptly behind a tree, surprised to find him wearing only a snug fitting pair of black pants. For a few moments, she hid behind the tree and indulged in watching him practice his lightsabre techniques while remaining unobserved. The only article of clothing above his waist was the black glove he wore over his bionic hand. Before she could stop herself, she fully took in the sight of his supple shoulder and chest muscles glistening with a thin film of sweat. He seemed to have fully recovered from the after-effects of the poison. He arced the green blade through the air gracefully, swept it from side to side like a dance between flesh and energy among the thigh high blades of grass. 

Mara shook her head chiding herself. _Okay, Jade, enough gawking like a silly teenager_. She slipped out from behind the tree and inched through the tall grass toward Skywalker. She noticed his eyes were closed. To a non-Force adept, he probably looked like he was sleep walking, but she knew that he had opened himself up completely to the Force. She didn't sense any acknowledgement of her presence from him, so with a sly grin she crouched low, like a feline stalking its prey, ready to pounce on the over-confident Jedi Master. She sprung up, but had taken only a step when his voice halted her. 

"Come for some lightsabre practice, Mara?" he asked, barely hiding his amusement. He turned slowly to face his would-be attacker and opened his eyes. 

Mara crossed her arms in irritation and a little embarrassment. "You were so engrossed in your meditation, I didn't think you had noticed me." 

"I noticed you," he said simply. 

"Besides," he added with a flip of his hand, "I knew you were out here taking a walk and wouldn't be able to resist the temptation if the occasion were to arise." 

Her jaw dropped slightly and quickly snapped shut. "You set me up!" Mara was tempted to wipe the smug grin off of Skywalker's face permanently. She wondered anxiously if he had known she had been spying on him as well. 

"You certainly are in a good mood this morning," she said. 

He shrugged. "It's amazing was a little meditation and insight will do. Sadness, hopelessness, pain – they are all of the Darkside. We'll never defeat Guru or turn Callista back to the light if we allow ourselves to fall prey to these negative emotions." 

Mara rolled her eyes, but said nothing. As long as he wasn't moping, she didn't care much Jedi philosophy he rambled on about. 

"So what has you up so early?" he asked with a teasing grin. "The sun's not even overhead yet." 

"I thought we might start working on a plan to stop whatever business Guru is running and maybe free a few slaves while we're at it." 

"Good idea. I say we head back to the fortress, sneak in through the tunnels during the night and get the slaves out before sunrise. Do you know how far the river took us last night?" 

"I'm not sure," Mara replied, "the water was moving really fast. I would guess that we have at least a two day's journey on foot, if not three. But there is another small problem. The Fire isn't big enough to hold all those people. We're going to need another ship." 

"If we can get to your ship, we can contact the Leia and have her send another ship and warn the Academy." 

"And I've also got weapons on board and some decent food." 

He snickered derisively. "Please, Mara, I think being poisoned once is enough." 

She snorted, but didn't rise to the bait. "We'll need to figure out a way to destroy the laboratory. If they get this spice into the wrong hands, it could spell death for the Academy and trouble for the Republic." 

"Why, Mara! I had no idea how much you cared!" Skywalker exclaimed in mock-incredulity. 

Mara rolled her eyes, but couldn't fight the grin that was threatening her mouth. "Zip it, Skywalker." She chuckled inwardly preparing for his reaction to her next announcement. "Oh, and one more thing," she added keeping her voice casual, "I think we should work on completing my training." 

He said nothing for a full five seconds until he found his voice. He kept his voice steady though she could feel his heart do an excited flip. "Why the sudden change?" 

"We are going to be going into battle against a Dark Jedi," she replied, and ignored the reflexive prick of pain that she felt from him. "I still don't believe in using the Force to make everyday life easier, but if it will give me an edge in a fight, then I will use it. And I think we are going to need all the edge we can get." 

"We are going to bring Callista back to the Light," he reminded her. 

Mara sequestered any pessimistic remarks that came to mind. "I know, but I think we should be prepared for anything." 

"You do realize that if they can take away Force ability, this might all be for nothing," he said. 

"Yes, I know. But I should have done this long ago anyway." 

He couldn't suppress his grin any longer. "Well, then let's get started. You can practice while we travel. You won't be able to learn everything in two days, but let's see how far we get." 

"I'll try," she replied. But before he could correct her, she amended, "No, I'll do it. But first, have you seen Annaïse this morning?" 

Luke shook his head negative, then closed his eyes and did a mental scan of the area. After a few seconds he opened his eyes. "She's not in the area. Her signature leaves an odd imprint in the Force, though." 

"I noticed that, too. I have a feeling she'll find us though. She seems to be able to track us as if we had homing beacons in our skin." Mara glanced down at her arms and legs, but pushed the bizarre thought away. 

"Well, let's go back to the hut, gather our stuff and start moving toward your ship." 

Mara nodded. Another bizarre thought struck her and made her smile at him. 

"What?" he asked. 

"I think this is the first time we've ever agreed on anything without debating it to death." 

Luke chuckled. "Feels good, doesn't it." 

"Don't spoil it, Skywalker." 


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

They did not have much to pack into the small backpack, just a couple of blankets and some food Annaïse had left for them. 

"Before we go, I want to show you something," Luke said. 

"What?" Mara asked. 

"I found something interesting yesterday, but with all the commotion, I forgot about it until now." 

Luke picked up the backpack and led Mara out of the hut toward the temple. They climbed the steep steps to the top, and he showed Mara the symbols on the back wall. 

"Those are the same markings as on the artifact we brought!" she exclaimed. 

Luke nodded. "I can't explain it. After discovering Guru's plan to lure us here, I thought the artifacts had to be some kind of hoax." 

Mara noted that he left out Callista's part in the plan, but said nothing. "It does seem kind of odd. I don't know if I'd use real artifacts simply as bait. It would be too easy for them to get lost or stolen." 

"I'm wondering if they even know what they have," Luke added. "Guru's fortress has been here for years. Do you think it's coincidence that he would have the perfect spice and the perfect lure? They may have discovered the hidden location of the _Guardians of Light_." 

"Let's slow down for a moment," Mara suggested. "There were Force-sensitives on many planets before the Jedi Purge. Isn't it possible that Callista was looking for a certain type of a spice dealer, then once she found him, searched for any local mystery concerning Force-sensitives on whatever planet he may be on?" 

"Maybe," he replied. 

Mara could see Luke didn't like the light her theory cast Callista in. But he was just going to have to deal with the fact that she had turned to the Darkside. She was not at all innocent in this whole escapade – she was in fact the orchestrator. 

"I just have a funny feeling about all this," he explained. "Like there is something we're missing." 

"Well, I'll make sure to ask Guru about it while I'm pummeling his perverted little butt," Mara said. 

Luke threw her an exasperated look. 

"I know, violence is of the Darkside," she muttered. 

He smiled. "Hey, sometimes you have to do a little pummeling in order to protect the innocent. Just remind me never to piss you off." 

"Skywalker, you piss me off everyday," she threw back at him. 

"You've never kicked my butt," he replied innocently. 

"Funny, I seem to remember you sprawled on the deckplates of my ship not too long ago." 

"I let you win," he argued meekly. 

"Sure, farmboy." 

"I did!" 

* * * * *

Before the sun was directly overhead, they had set off for the mountain housing the _Jade's Fire_. As they hiked, Luke instructed Mara in the Force. 

"Close your eyes," he commanded. "Relax and open yourself to the Force." 

She complied without breaking her stride. Luke and Mara became linked with each other and their environment, though both of them maintained protective walls around their innermost thoughts. 

"Do you see it?" Her brow furrowed slightly, so he explained. "The Force is energy that binds all living things, like a great web. Every living creature and plant takes from and contributes to the Force." He could feel her mapping out the surrounding forest in her mind. He marveled at her ability to concentrate and focus. She turned toward him with her eyes still closed and brushed away a fly that had landed on his shoulder. She opened her eyes and smiled triumphantly. 

"Is this fast enough learning for you, farmboy?" 

"Don't get cocky," he reprimanded her. "Remember, a Jedi knows no pride." 

She grimaced and rolled her eyes at him. "Come on, Skywalker, I'm not exactly a novice. I already know the basics, so what's next?" 

He sighed and looked hard at her. "Even the most skilled Master of the Force must come back to what is simple and basic. You must learn control, and to do that you must always be in harmony with the Force. You must be able to feel your surroundings in connection to the Force. A little patience couldn't hurt either." 

Mara tried not to color under the light reprimand, but she could feel the corners of her mouth tugging into a frown. Now that she had finally decided to complete her training, she wanted to get busy completing it, not reviewing from chapter one. Philosophy was not going to help them defeat Guru and his gang. But she kept silent and tried to absorb what Skywalker was telling her nonetheless. 

"Okay, I'm a blank slate. What exercises would you have me start with?" 

"How about a morning run?" he asked wickedly. He frowned in sudden concern. "How is your ankle?" 

Mara flashed her teeth and demonstrated a few hops. "Good enough to kick your butt!" 

He threw her a warning look. "Mara –" 

"I know, I know. Aggression is of the Darkside." 

"I was going to say you couldn't even come close." Without another word, he darted off into the trees with Mara close on his heels. 

Luke and Mara spent the rest of the afternoon sprinting, galloping and leaping through the trees. As they ran, Luke instructed her on the basics of the Force, teaching her to better use the Force to reenergize her body as it weakened under exertion. The island provided them with an excellent terrain for training with the high cliffs and deep valleys they had to scale in order to cross it. Luke had to admit that Mara was already in great shape, better shape than he had been in when he first met Yoda on Dagobah. The run had dredged up many memories of his time with Yoda, lifting rocks, lifting ships, climbing trees, eating that horrible porridge. A sudden thought brought a ridiculous smile to his lips. Maybe he should be making Mara carry _him_ on her back while she ran. 

_Unless you want a crash course in gravity, I wouldn't recommend it_, she shot at him. She paused under a tree, breathing heavily. They had been moving at a pretty good clip for several hours, Skywalker constantly instructing and philosophizing. It was beginning to frustrate her. Most of the things he was teaching her, she already knew. The sun had sunk low in the sky indicating that dusk would not be long waiting. She was tired and hungry, and not in the mood to play the diligent student. 

"You've got to do something about that temper," he chided. "You must be calm, at peace –" 

"Yeah, yeah, apathetic and lethargic, I get it," she muttered. 

"-- and patient." 

"Skywalker, you think too much," she said sharply. "It's good to rationally think out a situation, but if you sit on your butt meditating all day, nothing would ever get done!" 

"Meditation will give you insight into when you must act. You must never lash out in anger, for that leads to the Darkside." He gently stroked her arms, trying to lend her some of his calm. Instead, she threw up her hands in frustration and walked off. 

Luke followed her for several moments before he caught up with her. They walked in silence for several minutes, until he could finally take it no longer. "Mara, why are you the way you are?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"You're always so hostile. Why?" 

"I'm not hostile, I'm assertive," she corrected. 

"Aggressive, you mean," he countered. "But seriously, we're supposed to be friends. So why are you always on the defensive." 

"Maybe because I'm always being provoked." 

"I'm not trying to provoke you, just understand you. I thought we were starting to become more comfortable around each other. We actually had some fun at Guru's palace – despite the running for our lives and getting poisoned part. So what's changed?" 

"Nothing's changed," she replied. 

"You can never let your guard down for a moment, can you? What is it you are so afraid of?" 

"Why should I let my guard down?" She stopped and pierced him with flashing eyes. "So you can feel free to walk around in my head at will? See every little dark corner of my mind? Know every little secret thought I have? Maybe I just don't want to be better understood." 

"Do you really think that little of me?" he asked incredulously. Her last comments stung. "I would never intentionally invade your privacy." 

"Ha!" she laughed humorlessly. "That was all you did on the flight here. Mind-talking may be all fun and games to you, but –" 

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" he interrupted her. "I was not invading your thoughts. You were practically broadcasting them. Any force-sensitive within 12 parsecs could've picked them up. And you've been doing your own share of mind-talking." 

"You were broadcasting," she mimicked. Her every muscle had tightened into a tense coil ready to spring. Part of her begged her to stop acting so childish, but her mouth kept going regardless. 

"You can't have it both ways, Mara," Luke told her. "I just thought we could open up a little bit and try a real friendship for a change." 

"You don't know what you're asking." Her voice had sunk low with firmly controlled emotion. "I don't open up for anybody. I don't let my guard down for anybody. If that's a problem, then you can just hyperspace out of my life." She whirled on her heel and disappeared into the trees. 

Luke watched her go with a mixture of feelings. Anger, hurt, sadness, emptiness, all saturated the area of the forest where they had fought. He wasn't sure which feelings belonged to whom. But confusion stood at the forefront. Every time he thought he was getting closer to Mara, she suddenly lashed out and closed herself off from him. 

He shook his head ruefully. He certainly had some effect on women. Every woman he'd come across had eventually fled in the other direction. It appeared that Mara was soon to follow suit. He told himself he should be used it, but it did not stop the dull ache that grew in his chest. 

"She certainly is stubborn, isn't she," Annaïse said from behind him. 

Luke visibly jumped, and whirled around. The little girl sat on a fallen tree trunk chewing on a piece of grass. He wondered why he hadn't felt her presence in the Force, but shook it off. 

"That's putting it mildly," Luke replied still a little flustered. "It would take a Death Star to blast away the wall she's built around herself. How long have you been there?" 

"Her life must be hard," she continued ignoring the question. 

"Maybe, but she loves her work. If it wasn't a challenge it wouldn't interest her." 

"No, I mean her _life_," Annaïse corrected. "She has to be incredibly lonely. No friends, no family and a planet-sized chip on her shoulder. All of that was taken from her the day the Emperor stole her away. If she seems harsh, cold and unfeeling, it's because she's never learned anything else. The closest people to her hurt her the most. Now she lets no one that close. I think deep down, she feels like she doesn't deserve the same happiness that every one else in the galaxy seems to receive." At this she looked knowingly at him. "Sound familiar?" 

"How is it that you know so much about us?" 

"Lucky guess," she laughed. 

Luke just shook his head. He probed her mind lightly with the Force, but she was strong-willed and gave up no new information. He would figure out who this mysterious girl was, he vowed, but first there was a mission to complete. 

* * * * * 

Mara muttered and grumbled to herself as she snaked her way through the trees until she came to a several meter high cliff. She didn't understand why Skywalker always made her feel so edgy. She shouldn't have blown up at him back there. But what did he mean by "real friendship"? Hadn't they been friends the past few years? She grasped onto the jutting rocks and began carefully pulling herself up the wall. Sure they hadn't seen much of each other except when she was helping him save the galaxy, but underneath it all, they were friends. Weren't they? What did he expect from her anyway? A few loose pebbles crashed down the cliff reminding her to pay attention to her climb. She couldn't spend every waking minute on Yavin IV, she had a business to run. Then what, birthday cards? She winced slightly as she realized she didn't even know when his birthday was. 

"Two months ago," Skywalker volunteered. "But a card really isn't necessary." 

She jumped slightly, but it was enough to cause her to lose her grip on the rocks. With a frightened shriek, she found herself plummeting toward the boulders at the bottom of the cliff. Before she could be smashed to pieces, a pair of strong arms and a tendril of the Force slid under her and halted her descent. 

"You should be more careful," Skywalker admonished her. 

His voice remained calm, but she saw his eyes wander briefly over her body inspecting for any new bumps, bruises or cuts. She jumped out of his arms, death bolts lashing out from her eyes. Before she could ream him up one side and down the other, he held up a silencing hand. Setting her jaw, she crossed her arms and gave him her best "you'd better make this good" stare. 

"I'm not trying to invade your privacy, Mara," he began. "I don't know how it is that I can hear your thoughts so clearly, but I can. It is an amazing connection we have, and I would like to explore it more with you. But I realize that may be something you are not ready for." 

Mara looked away. _Can he really read me so easily?_ she wondered. On the surface she maintained her rigid calm, but inside claustrophobia began to rise in her brain as she felt like too many people were inside her head. Before she could think to react, his hands were on her arms guiding her like a child to sit next to him on a fallen log. She would never let anyone else handle her that way, so why did she let him? 

"Mara, listen to me," he said forcing her to look at him. "What I said back there came out wrong. I've always considered you a friend, one of my closest in fact. I just wish that you would trust me enough to open up a little." 

She stared at him uncomprehending for a moment. "I do trust you," she argued. "You probably know me better than anyone else in the galaxy. I just don't like having more than one person in my head. I had to live with that for the most of my life. Besides," added elbowing him gently in the ribs and trying to lighten the situation, "now that I know when your birthday is, how am I going to keep whatever I get for you a surprise if you are always reading my mind?" 

Skywalker grinned back at her. "I guess you'll just have to be sneaky." 

Mara chuckled and forced herself to relax. "I guess so." Playfully, she pushed him backwards off the log, and he landed with a soft _thump_ in the grass. "Didn't see that one coming did you?" she taunted. She stood to leave but was unceremoniously pulled tumbling backwards over the log herself. She landed next to Skywalker who was grinning evilly at her. 

"The Force is always my ally," he announced in a deep, god-like voice. 

She punched him lightly on the arm. "A great teacher once told me never to get cocky." 

"Oh, so you think I'm a great teacher now, do you?" he replied punching her back. 

"What makes you think I was talking about you?" She slugged him again. 

He poked her in the stomach. 

She pinched him in the side. 

Both began to giggle hysterically. 

Suddenly, she felt him tugging her closer to him. She stiffened slightly, and he must have felt it, because he sent comforting waves to her through the Force. His arms encircled her, drawing her close until their bodies touched. "Don't ever think that I'm not your friend," he whispered. "Because you're probably the best friend I've got." 

She smiled back at him. "You don't ever have to worry about losing me, Luke." 

She felt him blush and figured she'd hit the mark. "You may annoy the hell out me sometimes, and I may not always be the open person you want me to be, but you're probably my best friend, too." 

Luke squeezed her again, and she started to become acutely aware of how close they were. Best friends or not, she could only take so much mushy, gushy sentimentality. With an awkward cough and an unsteady smile, she pulled away. 

"Besides, who else is going to fly halfway across the galaxy every few months to get your butt out of whatever trouble you've managed to get into?" 

Luke smiled and pulled himself to his feet. "So what do you say we get back to the lessons?" 

Mara groaned. 

"Hey, you said you wanted to complete your training." 

"I know, but I was thinking of doing it in a more active way. All this philosophizing is going to drive me nuts!" Luke opened his mouth to protest, but she continued before he could utter a single syllable. "I already know the basics, and I know that it is important to never forget them, but we are going to need more than talk to get ourselves out of this. Even if Callista does listen to us, I doubt Guru will, and I'm positive his men won't." 

He nodded. "Okay, so what do you want to learn?" 

"How to move things with my mind," Mara replied with a twinkle in her eye. She hopped up off the ground. 

Luke rolled his eyes. "These aren't just parlor tricks, Mara." 

"I know. But I can't even call my lightsabre to my hand. I think that skill could come in handy if I were, say, hung upside-down with my feet encased in ice and a hungry wampa eyeing me as a tasty meal." 

Luke threw up his hands in mock-surrender. "Okay, okay. I get your point." 

He took her lightsabre from her and laid it on the tree trunk. Then he motioned her to follow him several meters away. She obediently followed, her mind completely on the task at hand. 

"Close your eyes," he instructed. "And see the lightsabre in your mind." 

Mara did as she was told. She found the Force threads that she had seen similar to the last time she had done this type of visualization. Everything around her glowed with Force energy. The energy expanded in tendrils connecting everything together in a giant web of light. 

"See the lightsabre come to you," Luke said. 

Her brow furrowed in concentration. She could imagine the lightsabre in her hand, but she still couldn't feel it. 

Luke must have sensed her struggle. "Open yourself completely. It's almost like you're asking it to come to you. Don't try to order it. You and the Force exist in a symbiotic relationship, each one complementing the other. You must work together." 

Mara relaxed and silently asked the lightsabre to come to her hand. Just as she felt the cold metal touch her skin, a loud crash a few meters from her jolted her out of her almost trance-like state. The lightsabre fell to the ground centimeters from her feet. She noticed that the large rock that had been near Luke was missing, but she soon spied it in the vicinity of the crash. 

"What did you do that for?" she demanded. "I almost had it!" 

"You must not allow yourself to become distracted. You must remain focused on the task at hand, but also be aware of everything around you." 

Mara clenched her teeth. She didn't think it was fair to test her like that on her first try. But, she reminded herself, he was only challenging her in order to improve her skills. As long as they were doing some "active" learning in the Force, she wouldn't complain about his methods. 

They continued to practice until the sun had sunk behind the mountains, and the forest was once again blanketed in night. Mara tried hiking while levitated rocks and tree branches, but she could only sustain them for a few minutes before letting them drop or running into an obstacle in her path. Her split-concentration skills definitely needed some work. The feeling of almost, but not quite controlling the Force was more frustrating than if she had never touched the Force in the first place. 

"How about I levitate and let the rock do some hiking," she quipped, though there was no humor in her voice. 

"Now there is a skill you'd probably like," Luke replied. "But I'm not sure you have the control yet. Using the Force to jump higher or run faster is relatively simple, but even I can't levitate myself over long distances or for a sustained period of time." 

"I thought you said limitations were only in the mind," Mara pointed out. 

"True. But then I guess I'm still learning that. We never stop learning, Mara." 

"So let's see you do it," she said. 

Luke's eyes took on that far away look he always got when he called upon the Force, and all his features began to relax. Gradually, his body began to separate from the ground. A few centimeters, then a meter, then finally, he floated with his feet about eye level. Then slowly, he descended. 

"Now you. Just imagine a small repulsor on the bottom of your feet. You want to push your energy toward the ground in order to push yourself off." 

Mara remembered learning something like that in her dance training. Dancers would gain stability by pushing their "energy" through the floor, in effect making them seem longer and taller. Closing her eyes, she tried the same technique, even going up on the point of her toes. She could feel Luke's amazed smile at that small feat. 

"Yeah, but my turn-out sucks," she replied cracking her eyes open. Luke looked confused for a moment. "Never mind, dance lingo." 

"Concentrate," he reminded her, but the smile remained. 

Her body almost felt weightless, but some tiny thread still anchored her to the ground. She raised her arms above her head and stretched, but gravity would not release its grip on her. 

Suddenly a familiar pair of hands were on either side of her waist, and she could feel the heat of Luke's body against her back. His presence eased into her mind. She fought to keep her concentration, but didn't fight him. They put their energy together, and soon the last tie to the ground was broken. She felt them float up, up, up. 

"Open your eyes," he whispered. He voice had an odd note in it. 

She opened her eyes, careful to keep her focus controlled. What she saw took her breath away, and nearly caused her to fall as her concentration slipped. But Luke reinforced their Force bond. They had floated above the treetops. The night sky spread out above them, sprinkled with a myriad of stars. The mountains were silhouetted against the western horizon where the last rays of the sunlight rapidly melted away. 

Sweat began to trickle down both their foreheads as the exertion of maintaining their altitude quickly sapped their energy. Slowly they began their descent, neither speaking for fear of plummeting to the ground several meters below. Once their feet were firmly on the soil, they both sank into sitting positions breathing heavily. 

"That was amazing!" Mara exclaimed between breaths. All her earlier frustrations were forgotten for the moment. "Did you see all those stars?" 

"I've never been that high before," Luke uttered incredulously. 

"Never?" Mara repeated. 

"The Force is strong with you. Really strong," he said. "Now if you could just learn to control your emotions." 

The moment was broken. Mara threw him a half-hearted glare and changed the subject. 

"What do you say we find a nice spot to camp for the night?" 

He gave her his infuriating know-it-all smile and nodded his head. "Well, we don't have much in the way of gear, so why don't we just crash here for tonight?" 

Mara nodded. "Hopefully there's another river or stream nearby." 

"I thought you were sick of water," he reminded her. 

She grinned. "Yeah, but you stink." 

"Well, you don't exactly smell like a flower either," he shot back. "Hey, if we're lucky, maybe it will start raining again." 

"Bite your tongue, farmboy." 


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Luke and Mara awoke early the next day. Both were slightly stiff from sleeping propped up against a fallen tree, but the first few kilometers of hiking stretched out their muscles. Mara thanked the gods that they were not hiking through the sweltering heat of Yavin IV. She welcomed the cool weather, but could not help but glance warily at the low clouds building in the distance. No doubt they would experience some more of Adega's torrential rains before they reached her ship. 

Luke seemed oblivious to the weather, good or bad. As soon as they had started out that morning, he had gone into full professor mode. Mara tried hard to listen like a dutiful student, but she felt her concentration drifting. She may have excelled in combat training and espionage, but she had never been a good student when it came to lectures. So she pretended to listen while scanning the surrounding area for awaiting enemies or traps or something she could possibly eat for lunch. 

"Mara," Luke repeated. "Are you still with me?" 

Mara colored slightly realizing she had been caught with her mind elsewhere. Luke never raised his voice, but he nailed her with a stern look. She met it with a defiant look of her own. He maybe her teacher, but he would never be her master. No one would. 

Instead of pushing the issue, he continued on his lecture about controlling one's emotions. Mara set her teeth. She thought back to last night before falling asleep next to Luke. They had chit chatted like old friends. She much preferred talking to that Luke than the professor. 

At about midday they came upon a small clearing in the trees. From the opening in the canopy, Mara could see the top of Mount Uzbira. Somewhere out of sight, she could almost feel the _Jade's Fire_. 

"We should be able to get there this evening," she exclaimed. Then a worried crease flitted across her brow. "They will have guards around the ship. We should be prepared for a fight." 

"We can sneak in under the cover of night," Luke suggested. "Hopefully, we can find a way to get in and out before they even know we were there." 

"And if not, we can take care of them," Mara replied unhooking her lightsabre and giving it a twirl. 

"You can't always rely on your lightsabre to get yourself out of a jam," he lightly reprimanded her. "What are you going to do the day you get into trouble, and it's not there?" 

Mara visibly bristled at his correction. In the blink of an eye, she drew her hold-out blaster from its hidden holster and aimed it at his chest. "I always have a plan B, and I'm never unarmed," she replied fiercely, putting on her game face. Skywalker needed some reminding of whom Guru and Callista were dealing with. She was a former assassin and not one to be trifled with. "If I wanted to, I could shoot you where you stand." 

Luke set his jaw in irritation and stepped so close to her that the barrel of the blaster dug into his ribs. "When are you going to let it go?" he demanded. "I thought we settled this yesterday. You know I don't hold any grudge against you for trying to kill me." 

"Well, maybe you should. You might live longer," Mara retorted. "How do you know that I won't one day fall to the Darkside and decide to rededicate my life to killing you? I'm not as good as you seem to think I am." 

"You won't shoot me," he said matter-of-factly. "And you won't fall to the Darkside. And the fact that you chose not to kill me all those years ago tells me more about your character than if you had never pulled the blaster in the first place." 

For the first time, Mara looked away, refusing to let him see her expression. Her arm lost their rigidity, and she reholstered the blaster. "I could've killed you if I had wanted to," she said meekly. 

It was a moot point and sounded flimsy. Luke just rolled his eyes in amused impatience at her stubbornness. She just refused to give into a disagreement, even if the end result would've been in her favor. "The point is that you didn't. Face it, Jade, you are just as soft as the rest of us." 

"I'm not soft!" she yelled indignantly. His grin only made her that much more irritated. "You know, it's funny I never see _you_ without _your_ lightsabre. What are you going to do the day that you have to fight, and you don't have your trusty lightsabre handy?" she demanded impatiently. "I don't think I've ever seen you fight hand-to-hand." 

Luke seemed surprised at the sudden turn in the conversation. A few seconds of silenced lapsed between them before he spoke. "They taught us hand-to-hand combat during the rebellion, but honestly, with the number of different weapons available out in the galaxy, rarely does a fight ever come down to fisticuffs." 

"You spend too much time either teaching love, peace and harmony or battling super-weapons" Mara scoffed. "There are just as many people willing to throw a punch as a thermal detonator." 

"Maybe so," he admitted. "But if it ever came down to it, I think I could hold my own in a fight." 

"Really." Amusement practically dripped from Mara's lips. "All right, farmboy, let's see what you've got." She shrugged off her light jacket and tossed it with her lightsabre to the edge of the clearing. 

Luke still hadn't moved. He was at a loss for words. He kept opening and closing his mouth like a Mon Calamari on Tattooine. Finally, he managed to squeak, "Mara, I can't – I mean, you –" 

"What's the matter?" she was growing impatient. "You can vaporize a woman with a blaster, slice her and dice her with a lightsabre, but you can't throw one measly punch? Snap out of it!" She swatted at his arm in emphasis. 

Still unsure of himself, Luke tossed his lightsabre aside and faced her. "I just don't want to hurt you," he said meekly. 

Mara burst out laughing. "I'm not the one you should be worried about. But, look, if it will make you feel better, we'll keep this light contact." 

He nodded slightly, but she had already sunk into a semi-crouch waiting for him to attack. Realizing that they would be there all day waiting for him to make the first move, Mara sprung at him with the agility of a Noghri. Her fist came within bare millimeters of his face as he swiftly moved aside to avoid the punch. Finding herself now behind him, she dropped to one knee and swept her other leg across his calves effectively toppling him to the ground. 

"Come on, Skywalker," she taunted. "Maybe you didn't grow up on the streets, but I know you can do better than this!" 

He scowled at her and leaped from the ground in an attempt to tackle her. As he approached, she dipped her shoulder at the last minute and used his momentum to fling him over her shoulder and on to the ground again. His breath whooshed out of his lungs as he impacted against the grassy terrain. At her throaty laugh, he righted himself once more and prepared to come at her again. This time he moved slower, more deliberately. Mara watched the various muscles in his arms and chest twitch with the expectation of movement. She saw him throw the punch before his arm ever left his side. Effortlessly, she blocked the right, left, right cross combination making it look like a child's game. Then she roundhouse kicked, her foot coming within a hair's breath of his nose. He pulled his head back and twisted to the side to keep from being swept off his feet again. 

Luke set up his own attack of quick jabs to her torso. She managed to deflect most of them, but a few broke through her defense to land on her firm abdomen. He didn't hit her very hard, but she could tell he was still surprised that she didn't even gasp at the light impact. She lashed out with another punch to his face, but he caught the movement early. His hand darted out, caught her arm and spun her around so her back was pressed against him, her arm pinned between their bodies. His other arm was wrapped in a choke hold around her neck. 

"I guess I'm not as clumsy as you thought, Jade," he taunted in her ear. 

Not one to give up that easily, she stepped back, planted her butt into his stomach and pitched forward. With a little nudge of the Force, she flipped Luke over her back. But he was quick to twist in the air and land on his feet in front of her. Not missing a beat, Mara delivered a quick jab to his stomach. She received the pleasure of not only hearing his sharp gasp, but also the feeling of his tight, muscular stomach. She had to admire how his training kept him in terrific shape. Her light punch had only surprised him. He hadn't budged from his stance. As her mind wandered for a split second to the aesthetics of Luke Skywalker, he had used her hesitation to his advantage. She never saw his next punch that nicked her across jaw in a sudden flash of pain. 

At her yelp, Luke, who had not expected to actually make contact, jumped to her side. "Mara, are you okay? I'm sor—" His last words ended in his own cry of pain as her foot planted itself squarely against his chest and sent him flying backwards and crashing into the ground. 

"I'm not made of porcelain, farmboy," she retorted. She silently berated herself for letting herself get distracted in a fight, but she still couldn't prevent the tiny smile of pride from creeping across her lips, which immediately caused her to slightly wince and rub her jaw. "That wasn't a bad hit – _apprentice_." Her green eyes glinted wickedly in the sunlight. 

Luke had made no move to get up until he heard that last word. "Apprentice?!" 

"You barely touched me. Then you left yourself open to attack – again, I might add." She looked down on him in mock exasperation. "You've really got to do something about this overly chivalrous side of your personality." 

Skywalker's eyebrows shot up at that last amazement. "Too chivalrous?!" Calling upon the Force he suddenly launched himself at Mara. She had been ready for this move and crouched to toss him again, but he had expected her reaction and aimed lower this time. He caught her around her thighs and hefted her a few feet in the air before tackling her to the ground. He grinned as she shrieked, clearly thrown off her defense, but before he could congratulate himself, her powerful legs came up around his chest and gripped him tightly. His eyes bulged as his lungs were compressed between her vise-like grip. Before he had time to react, she lifted him up and flipped him onto his back until she was straddling him. 

Mara gazed down at him triumphantly. "Surrender!" 

"Never!" He shouted gleefully. He couldn't very well pummel her to death all day, so he chose the next best thing. "I hope you won't kill me for this." With a devilish grin, he swiftly reached up and began to tickle her abdomen. 

She jerked violently, squirming to escape from him and desperately keep her composure at the same time. Nevertheless, a few giggles escaped as Luke held her with one hand and continued his excruciating torture. She felt herself losing the battle on both fronts. 

Finally, her resolve broke and burst out laughing. "No! Stop!" she gasped between giddy outbursts. She pawed at his hands, trying to capture them, but to no avail. "That's cheating!" Her effort to work up some amount of indignation was futile. Seeing as she couldn't stop him, she decided to fight fire with fire. She attacked him at his stomach and along his sides until she found a spot under his arm that made him jerk in much the same way she had. Cackling evilly, she exploited this newfound weakness without mercy until he was the one squirming and trying to flee. 

Laughing until tears streamed down their cheeks, they wrestled over the grassy clearing trying to escape from each other's torture, but wanting to stay to inflict more. They rolled down a slight dip in the terrain leaving a trail of crushed blades of grass in their wake. Using the Force to guide him, Luke landed on top of Mara whose hands were still mercilessly attacking him. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. His body crushed against hers as they both lay still, breathing heavily from the exertion. 

Mara stared up at Luke. She could feel his heart pounding wildly against his chest through her thin tank top. His eyes were bright and seemed to stare right into her mind. She fought down her first instinct to panic and flee, choosing instead to fortify her mental barriers. It was absurd; she knew he would never intentionally hurt her. Nevertheless, she could feel herself trembling slightly against him. 

Before she knew what was happening, his face closed the distance between them, and he brushed his mouth against hers. His lips were soft and warm. A thousand emotions hit her at once. She wanted to run, scream, punch, dig her hands into his thick blond hair and pull him closer to her. Her body seemed to respond without her permission, and she felt her neck arch slightly, tentatively inviting him to deepen the kiss. His response was immediate. He parted her lips and hungrily caressed her tongue with his own. Despite his weight crushing her into the ground, her body rose to meet his, pressing against the full length of him. He released his grip on her wrists to gently caress her face, eliciting a small moan of pleasure from her. Slowly, cautiously, she snaked her arms around his neck lightly stroking the sensitive skin just below the base of his hairline. 

In that moment, their minds met in a confusing swirl of emotions. Mara fought to keep her mental defenses in check, but she could feel them begin to crack like a giant dam under too much pressure. She frantically tried to clear her mind of all thoughts and emotions, but the feelings radiating from Luke distracted her. She could feel the genuine affection he had for her. He held great respect for her, for her creativity, quick thinking and passion. But what surprised her most was the feeling of trust that emanated from him. He trusted her implicitly with his life. She had been trusted by men before, but never on such a deep level. 

Another emotion brushed against her mind. Her heart nearly stopped beating when she realized it was love. It was warm and tender like the first spring breeze after a harsh winter frost. He was hopelessly and completely in love. The human image of that love projected toward her, and she felt a sudden stabbing pain in her chest that both distressed and alarmed her. 

Callista's face flashed in their mind's eye, and Mara could feel him filling with sorrow and shame. They jolted away from each other, breaking their embrace and putting some distance between them. She regarded him in confusion, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. 

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I –" he began. 

"No, I --" she stuttered scrambling to her feet. Her mind was still reeling from his physical and mental touch and couldn't make any sense out of what had just happened. She attempted to control the shaking in her voice, but it still came out strained. "I don't know what all that was about, but I know you still love Callista. And that, well, we just got … carried away." She spoke too quickly and darted her eyes around looking for an escape. Finding none, she lashed out. Her eyes became hard jade stones boring into him. "I do not play second to anyone, especially that ditsy, body-snatching twit. So you can just rebound on someone else." Without allowing Skywalker another word, she darted off through the trees at a dead run picking pieces of grass from her hair. 


	19. Chapter 19

Author's rambling: Sorry folks about the false update the other day. I added a scene to Chapter 17 near the end of the chapter. Also, I've really enjoyed reading your reviews. They inspire me to keep writing. It looks like we're at about the ¾ mark in my story, but don't worry, I'm not done with Mara and Luke yet. But as the great Jedi Master once said, "you must have patience." 

**Chapter 19**

"AHHHH!" Callista screamed in frustration. She sat in her meditation chamber and seethed. The situation between Luke and that space trollop had been a nuisance to begin with, but now it was downright intolerable. The nerve of her coming on to him like that! Especially in his vulnerable condition. She had barely been able to break through that insufferable bond that existed between them. 

At that thought, she did have to allow herself a congratulatory smile. As soon as she had projected her image into his mind, Luke had remembered who he his heart rightfully belonged to. Luke had pulled away from her as if he had been stung. Jade would never even come a close second to her. But still, she would have to step up plans to insure that Luke forgot all about the Emperor's former whore. She could not afford to let him fall under that vixen's spell. 

"Guru!" she yelled into the comm. 

His face appeared in a few brief moments. He obviously was not pleased to be summoned. 

"Yes, ma'am?" 

"Send a team out to capture Jade," she ordered. "They are nearing the base of Mt. Uzbira." 

"But I thought you wanted us to ambush them at their ship," he interjected. 

"I don't care what I said before!" she screamed. "I want Jade now, and I don't care how many pieces she is in when you bring her to me!" 

"Ma'am - " 

"You will call me Master," she demanded petulantly. 

"Master," Guru complied reluctantly, "You're agitated. Think about this strategically. If we go to them, they'll see us coming. If we wait for them to come to us, we can ambush them." 

Callista narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I thought you hated my plan. You wanted to simply kill them. Why are you suddenly so agreeable?" 

"I've merely seen the merit of your plan and the rashness of mine," he replied, causing Callista to roll her eyes clearly not buying any of it. "Besides, I wouldn't mind having my own encounter with Ms. Jade." 

Callista sneered at his lewdness. "You may do what you like with her when I am through. But whatever it is you do, she will not survive it." 

Guru nodded. "So we shall proceed with your original plan?" 

"Yes," she snapped. "Now stop bothering me." 

She jammed her finger down on the "off" button and began to pace across the room. She had an uneasy feeling about leaving this matter for any longer than necessary, but she would just have to keep her senses trained on Luke. The moment Jade stepped too close, she would find a way to come between them. 

* * * * *

The sky grew dark as dull, gray clouds blotted out the sun. The first few fat drops began to fall as Luke sat alone in the grass trying to clear his head. He paid the rain no mind. He berated himself for clinging to a dream that would never come true. He berated himself for allowing a ghost from the past to interfere with a possible future. Finally, he berated himself for berating himself, laid down on his back and let the raindrops hit him where they may. His lips still burned from the passionate kiss they had shared. The back of his neck tingled in remembrance of her touch. The image of her lying beneath him, her hair spilled around her like a fiery halo against the green carpet of grass seared into his memory. 

He had felt the small tremors that coursed through her body as he had stared down into her turbulent emerald green eyes. Her full lower lip had quivered ever so slightly, proving too tempting to resist. He had given into impulse. He couldn't stop the small smile of satisfaction that crept across his face at the remembrance of how she had responded to him. To say the least, he was surprised. 

Even more surprising were the emotions he felt coming from her when their minds touched. He felt them pushing against walls that had kept them prisoner for so long. Feelings of friendship and admiration came freely to him. They warmed his mind with their gentle affection. He felt something else from her too, something elusive and wary. He had tried to coax it into the light, but it hid behind a curtain of fear and mistrust, of him or herself he couldn't tell. 

He wasn't supposed to feel this way about Mara. They were friends, and tentatively at that. What had changed it all? She refused to handle him with kid gloves when he was the most fragile. She pushed him to the limits and beyond of Jedi patience. She drove him nearly insane, but instead of being angry or annoyed by it, he only felt excited. The world somehow became more colorful when she was around. It was a feeling he had never really experienced with anyone else, not even Callista. His breathing quickened as his brain acknowledged a fact his heart had long since known: he was in love with Mara, and he couldn't deny it anymore. 

But where did that leave Callista? After all this time, was he even still in love with her? It seemed so long ago that they were together. Han's words echoed in his head. Maybe he had been clinging to his imagined future to keep from being disappointed by the real one. At that moment, he made a decision. He couldn't keep holding onto a fantasy. There would always be a part of him that would love Callista, but it was time to move on. 

Now came the tricky part. He jumped to his feet and took off in the direction Mara had taken. His tunic and pants hung limply from his sodden body, but he didn't care. He would prove to her that she did not come in second with him. He stretched out with the Force and easily found her nearly a kilometer ahead. Her mental barriers were up in full force, but he could feel the agitation and whirling of emotions emanating from her. He grinned foolishly, his eyes bright with determination and hope. _At least she is just as surprised as I am with this strange turn of events_. 

* * * * *

Mara charged brusquely up a small hill, snaking along a natural path in the rock. Rain began to pelt her, but she didn't notice. Thoughts and feelings came unbidden to her and danced in a whirlwind in her mind. Her lips tingled from the kiss they had shared, and her body ached to feel his pressed against her. Her eyes stung with unshed tears. 

"Oh, this is stupid!" she berated herself out loud. "All this over Skywalker?!" 

She forced the tears away. She would not cry over him or anyone. Her foot kicked a rock as she walked. Picking it up, she hurled it has hard as she could through the trees. It didn't help. She leaned with her hands spread wide on a large boulder. From her elevated position, she realized with start that she could see Skywalker still down in the clearing. Little rivulets of rainwater trickled down her face as she gazed down on him laying the grass. 

_He doesn't even look concerned_, she seethed, even though she could tell from his presence in the Force that that was far from the truth. What did she want from him anyway? He was in love with Callista. Annaïse didn't know what she was talking about. Mara turned away from the sight of Luke's sprawled body and leaned on the boulder with her arms crossed. This was all Annaïse's fault. _How dare she disappear and reappear in our lives and plant these insane ideas in my head!_ Mara couldn't admit to herself or anyone that she had wanted Annaïse to be right. She was a fool to ever entertain the idea, even for a split second, that Luke could fall in love with her. 

Taking a deep breath, Mara got her mind under control. No one would ever no how close she came to making a fool of herself. As soon as they completed this mission, she would say good-bye to Luke Skywalker and hyperspace it as far away as she could get from him. He just brought too many complications into her life. She would go back to what she knew was stable, her trading business. She gave herself a little push off the rock and continued along the path toward the mountain, her ship and hopefully the end of this damned mission. 

Mara had not gone far when she felt Luke's presence coming up fast behind her. 

"Mara, wait!" he cried. 

"Go away, Skywalker!" she yelled furiously swatting a dripping branch out of her path. 

Luke rapidly closed the distance between them. "Mara, please, just hold on a second." 

She uttered a small growl of frustration but kept her back to him. In two more strides, he came up directly behind her, caught her by the arm and turned her to face him. She opened her mouth to speak, but Mara had no time to utter a syllable as Luke's mouth crashed in hers. His other arm snaked around her waist and held her close. Surprise, then enjoyment, then rage racked her body. When her mind had finally registered the kiss, she pushed him violently away. 

"How dare you! Let me go!" she hissed, jerking her arm free of his grasp. 

He stepped close again and firmly but gently clasped both of her arms. "I'm not letting you go, Mara. Not ever," he replied earnestly. He looked deep into her burning gaze, willing her to believe his next statement. "Mara, I'm in love with you." 

Her eyes widened, and her heart began to race, but she refused to allow herself to accept it. "You mean you love Callista," she spat. "I told you before, Skywalker, I will not play runner-up." 

She tried wriggle free of his grasp, but he held on as if his life depended on it. 

"You will never be runner-up to me. I think I've loved you from the first time I saw you. I was just too naive to see it. Whatever I had or might have had with Callista is over." Her face remained hard and rigid, but she made no move to flee or dismember him. "You're the one I want. I need you in my life. I need you more than I've ever needed anyone." 

Wet hair plastered itself against her forehead, and he tenderly brushed it back. Conflict raged within her, and she felt paralyzed, unable to move or speak. She had never realized how much she wanted to hear those words until that moment. But her survival instincts were in full overdrive, begging her to flee. She could feel Luke's alarm at her fear. He took her hand and brought it to his chest. 

"Open yourself up to the Force," he pleaded softly and lowered all his mental barriers. The outside world melted away. Nothing existed beyond them and their bond. He laid his heart bare, letting her see every hope, thought and fear, holding nothing back. Mara involuntarily took a step back as such a powerful surge of emotion hit her taking her breath away. Images from their past bombarded her. Every innocent touch, every hidden meaning behind every word spoken and every time they had saved each other from their enemies. Now they needed to save each other from a life of loneliness and despair. 

Little by little, the hard lines on her face began to soften, and she finally gave up the fight to keep from unleashing her own surge of emotion. With her heart in her throat, her carefully erected barriers came crashing down letting him see how much she loved him. No words passed between them. None were necessary. Mara reached up with shaking hands and pulled Luke's head down to hers. They drank of each other's souls as their lips met for a long, lingering kiss. They held each other tight, afraid that the most gentle breeze would tear them apart. Luke laid her down on the carpet of wet leaves and grass. They made love under a turbulent sky, paying no heed to the rain or the dangerous mission that lay out before them. 

* * * * *

A servant approached Auria's quarters with her evening meal hot on a silver tray. As he reached up to knock on the door, he heard a resounding crash and an inhuman scream. Fearing for his master's favorite assistant, he barged into the room to find it and its occupant in a state of chaos. Shocked, he dropped the tray of food. Auria was no where to be seen, and in the center of shattered glass and broken furniture stood a woman with a wild mass of ash-blonde hair and a feral look in her gray eyes. 

"What have to done with Miss Auria!" he demanded. 

He began to approach her threateningly, but with a wave of her hand, a vise gripped his throat and raised him off the floor. His eyes bugged and he gasped for breath. He did not suffer long, for he was thrown through the wall-sized window, the glass shattering in a terrific crash, and he landed in a broken heap on the flagstones several stories down. 

* * * * *

More author's ramblings: You knew they had to get together! Now wasn't that worth the torment? But don't think I'm done with Luke and Mara yet. Just wait and see what I throw at them next. *insert evil cackle* 

Also, I have built a website and posted this story on it. Actually, the story is the only thing on it, so if you'd like to read this with a more colorful background, please visit my website at www.geocities.com/jen_sfire/guardiansoflight.html. 

And for any artists out there, if this story has inspired you to create images relating to the story, and would like to see them posted, please send them to me, and I'll see about adding them to my website. Tasteful pictures please, and of course I reserve the right to post them or not. 

See you next chapter! 


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: Sorry it has been so long since I've updated. School and work are kicking my ass at the moment. But I promise that I will continue posting new chapters. I have to, because I've already written the end! Thanks for your patience and not forgetting about me.

**Chapter 20**

Luke and Mara lay entangled on the leaves long after the sun had set. The rain continued to softly sprinkle the lovers, but nothing could break into their world. Luke rested his head on Mara's chest and bathed in her presence, both physically and in the Force. He inhaled deeply, drawing in her spicy scent, and savored the taste of her on his lips. He didn't think he had ever felt so content in his entire life. 

Content? He was nearly drunk with happiness! Mara loved him! Reflecting back on their past, he guessed he shouldn't have been surprised. He mentally kicked himself for being so blind, for taking so many years to see what treasure he had standing right in front of him. He kissed one rosy nipple drawing a satisfied sigh from Mara. He followed with a tender kiss on her lips. Mara smiled into his eyes and kissed him back, but he still felt a twinge of nervousness within her. Some of her barriers had come back up, but they were only to maintain a certain amount of privacy. Neither had spoken for a long time. 

"You are so beautiful, Mara," he whispered, trying to find some way to reassure her hidden fear. 

"Where do we go from here, Luke?" she asked ignoring the compliment. "Am I supposed to move to Yavin IV with you? Are you supposed to run around the galaxy with me? Are we supposed to just happily sail off into the sunset and have lots of babies? Just how is this supposed to work? I – " 

He held a finger to her lips to quiet her. "Let's just take things one step at a time. We'll figure out living arrangements later. In the meantime, we still have slaves to rescue, a laboratory to destroy and an ex-girlfriend to exorcise." 

Mara stared at him in surprise before breaking into a short fit of laughter. "I never thought I'd hear you talk about her like that," she said. He could hear a certain amount of relief in her voice. Her body rumbled pleasantly against his, and he had to fight to keep himself from taking her again, right then and there. 

"Well, you do strange things to me, Jade," he replied. 

"All good, I hope," she said drawing her fingertips teasingly up his spine. 

Luke knew she had felt the accompanying shiver that had followed her fingertips. _Oh, why fight it? _He pressed his lips hungrily to hers, their fires lighting once more. 

"Ahem," a voice interrupted. 

Luke's face turned crimson as his lips broke away from Mara's, and he looked up to find Annaïse looking down on them with a smug smile. She gave Mara a triumphant look. "See, I told you he loved you." 

Mara quickly looked away in embarrassment. Luke quickly spotted their clothes lying on some branches about a meter from them and used the Force to yank them over their bodies. 

"Um, Annaïse, could you give us a minute to – uh – freshen up?" Mara said. 

Luke couldn't help but grin as Mara's voice squeaked out of her. It wasn't every day he got to see the trader so flustered. He enjoyed the sight, but he was also beginning to feel a bit self-conscious. Luckily, Annaïse took the hint and wandered off to give them some privacy. 

"Well, I think we'd better get back to the mission," he said planting one last kiss on her lips. To his surprise, she smacked him lightly on the arm. "What was that for?" 

"For enjoying my discomfort," she retorted. 

Luke grinned. "You felt that, huh?" 

Mara lost her battle to keep from grinning as well. "Yeah, among other things." She glanced pointedly at Skywalker, Jr. 

Luke blushed slightly and began pulling on his pants and tunic. 

With perfect timing, Annaïse appeared as Mara and Luke were lacing up their boots. 

"It's not very far to the docking platform," she informed them. "Maybe only a two hour hike, and we can use one of the access tunnels half way up the mountain to sneak in unobserved." 

Mara narrowed her eyes. "How convenient," she murmured under her breath. But Luke caught the comment and gently squeezed her hand in reassurance. Annaïse turned and began hiking up the trail as if she had not heard a thing. Luke and Mara followed, but Luke could still feel Mara's suspicion. 

The hike up the mountain was steep and dark. Luke and Mara didn't dare ignite their lightsabres for fear of being detected by Guru's men. Occasionally, a few beams of moonlight filtered down through the trees to light their way, but for the most part, they used the Force to pick their way up the narrow switchbacks. To one side, the mountain rose sharply, its rocky face dotted with tufts of grass and other plant life. The trio climbed single-file up the make-shift trail, hugging the wall to keep from slipping over the edge and down the sheer drop on the other side. 

Luke tried to concentrate on the climb, but he found his mind wandering to the time he had just spent in Mara's arms. He hadn't thought that anything could make him feel so comfortable and excited at the same time. He could feel her silky skin wrapped around him and – _whoa!_ Mara's arm shot out like lightning to steady him as he stumbled slightly, and a loose rock shattered the silence as clamored over the cliff. 

_You should pay more attention to where you're going, Luke,_ Mara chastised him lightly. 

Luke was glad she couldn't see sheepish look on his face. The Jedi Master had hammered repeatedly into his students the importance of concentration and focus, but at the thought of the woman he loved, all the lessons seemed to fly out the window. He mentally shook himself. He'd better get a grip on his thoughts, because the lives of hundreds, thousands, possibly millions depended on the success of this mission. 

At the halfway point up the mountain, Annaïse came to a halt in front of a section of rock wall. It seemed no different than any other part of the mountain they had passed, but Luke had learned that things are not always what they seem. He watched as Annaïse ran her tiny hands over one the jutting rocks. Her fingers moved deftly over the stone and dove in between the stems of the fragile white flowers that sprinkled this part of the mountain with their sweet fragrance. Immediately a large boulder recessed into the mountain revealing a long, dark tunnel. 

_This island is just full of hidden surprises, isn't it?_ Mara shot to him. _And our little friend seems to know all its secrets._

_She's lived here most of her life, Mara_, he replied. _It's only nat—_

Suddenly blackness engulfed Luke's mind. He felt the world slipping out from beneath his feet. He reached out for Mara, but his hands only reached thin air. He pitched forward and the ground came rushing up to meet him. Then all was silent. 

A far-off voice broke through the haze that surrounded Luke. He groaned and fought his way back to the realm of the conscious. _I'm getting really tired of passing out._ A sharp smack and Mara's worried voice yanked him back to reality. Groaning, he forced his eyes open to the lovely vision hovering over him. He smiled at her. _Mara, you—_ Then it hit him. He couldn't feel her. He fought down his panic, but couldn't keep from frantically clasping her hand to reassure his befuddled mind that she was really there. 

"Look who finally caught up the rest of us," Mara retorted. Her voice was stressed, and her mouth had hardened into an annoyed line. 

"We've been drugged again?" he asked, already knowing the answer. 

"We're high as a tree on Kashyyyk," she quipped humorlessly. She lowered her voice and glanced warily at Annaïse, who was closing the boulder-door behind them. "The door must have been booby trapped." 

Once again they were encased in black. With a _snap-hiss_, Mara ignited her lightsabre, bathing the chamber in blue-white light. Luke sat up and brushed the dust from his tunic. He glanced over at Mara and notice she looked rather dusty herself. He guessed she had taken a tumble as well. It was a good thing that they had collapsed into the tunnel instead of over the cliff. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. 

"Just great," she growled. 

Luke left it alone. Mara's voice had turned to steel, and she was studying Annaïse for any telltale signs that she had known about the trap. Luke knew first-hand how much Mara hated to have her mind messed with, and he felt sorry for anyone daring enough to attempt it. He glanced at their friendly guide. He couldn't put his finger on it, but for some reason he trusted the little being. He shoved himself off the ground and placed a placating hand on her shoulder. 

"I don't think Annaïse intends us any harm," he whispered. "I have felt no malice in her since we met." 

Mara nodded begrudgingly, but the doubt still remained in her eyes. 

"Are you guys okay?" Annaïse asked approaching them with a concerned look on her face. 

"We're fine," Luke replied. "We should keep going, we're losing time." 

Annaïse nodded and started off down the tunnel. Luke added the green hue of his lightsabre to Mara's blue one, and they followed her. 

The tunnel continued in a steep incline up the inside of the mountain. Several times they encountered flights of steep stairs that took them closer and closer to the summit. The tunnel reminded Luke of the tunnels that ran throughout the mountain where Guru had built his fortress, but these tunnels looked far less expansive. A few side passages broke off from the main tunnel, but they ended abruptly after only a few meters. 

After more than an hour of walking, Annaïse abruptly turned down one of the side passages. She turned toward Luke and Mara and motioned for them to remain silent. Crouching at the base of a smooth rock wall, she moved her fingers over the stones much as she had done at the beginning of the tunnel. Luke felt Mara tense, readying herself for any more surprises. A square door barely a meter high opened, and Annaïse crawled through the opening followed by the two Jedi. Instead of another room or another tunnel, they found themselves inside a metal ventilation shaft. Three meters to the right, warm artificial light spilled through wire mesh. They crept silently to the vent and peered into the docking bay. 

Luke grinned. He knew Annaïse wouldn't let them down. From their hidden position, they could see five men guarding the _Jade's Fire_ and several of Guru's men busily preparing one of the platforms for an approaching ship. The whine of the engines grew steadily louder, and though they could not see the ship from their angle, Luke guessed that it was probably a shuttle craft or a small transport ship. His face tightened. This was going to be tricky. He nodded to Mara and Annaïse to move toward the exit back into the tunnel. 

Once they were safely out of hearing distance of the guards, Mara hissed, "We're out of time, the buyer is already here. Any ideas?" 

"I'm thinking," he replied. At the first sight of her ship, he had noticed Mara become more agitated than normal. Like a protective parent, she itched to free her precious ship from its captors. She was using every ounce of willpower to refrain from charging single-handedly into the docking bay and taking on all the guards and whatever trap they had set for them. Luke searched his mind for a plan. How he wished he had the Force to guide him on this one. 

"We're gonna need help if we're going to try to free the slaves and contain Guru and Callista until the New Republic can send reinforcements," Mara continued. 

"The slaves can help us," Annaïse piped up. 

Mara gave her an incredulous look. "But the slaves are like zombies. How are they going to organize a resistance when they're pumped up on spice?" 

"One of the slaves from the most recent shipment is strong," Annaïse explained. "He's a Wookiee, so the spice doesn't affect him like it does the others. After time, I'm sure he'll become as senseless as the others, but he still has all his faculties right now." 

"I didn't see any Wookiees in the pit?" Luke pointed out. 

"Guru has him locked in solitary confinement." 

"Do you think you could bust him out and convince him to work with us?" 

"Sure." 

"You and the Wookiee can help free the slaves and take care of some of Guru's men while we concentrate on Guru and Callista." 

Mara looked doubtful. "You're nuts." 

Luke ignored her. "We'll need to get a hold of a couple of speeder bikes," he said. "We can't afford to spend another three days wandering through the forest." 

"No problem," Annaïse replied confidently, and she scampered down the tunnel before either Luke or Mara could protest. 

"Okay, so I guess that's the plan," Mara retorted. "This is crazy, Skywalker." 

"That's why it's going to work," he replied with a confident smile and planted a little kiss on her lips. "So you have any plans for taking care of our little garrison out there?" 

Mara arched an eyebrow at him. "I thought we could go for the classic Solo Plan A." 

"Charge in, blasters blasting, yelling at the top of our lungs, and pretty much causing a ruckus while we're outnumbered 15 to 2?" 

She grinned. "That's the one." 

"And you said _my_ plan was crazy." 

Mara gave him the code to the access hatch of the_ Fire._ "They've probably disabled the Fire's comm systems, so if you make it to the ship first, use my portable comm unit to contact the New Republic. It's under my bunk in my quarters. It's not as powerful as the ship's device, so you'll have to be out in the open to send the message." 

Luke nodded, but he suddenly felt a lump rise in his throat. He grabbed Mara by the shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. "Just make sure that you make it to the ship too." 

"Hey, I'm just trying to be prepared. What if I have to keep those thugs off your back?" She stood up on her tip-toes and planted a lingering kiss on his lips. "Now let's go kick some ass!" 

Mara sprinted back into the ventilation shaft, Luke following close on her heels. They approached the vent, then clutching her lightsabre in one hand and her hold-out blaster in the other hand, Mara kicked out the wire mesh. Before the screen had clattered to the floor, the two Jedi had launched themselves out of the shaft landing directly behind two of the guards. With quick blows to the head with the back of their lightsabres, the two guards were quickly put out of commission. 

The shuttle had just finished its landing cycle, and the boarding ramp was slowly lowering down to the deck where ten armed guards awaited to escort the occupants to Guru's fortress. At the sound of Luke and Mara's entrance, they all whirled around with their blaster rifles tracking the two Jedi. Mara quickly picked off two of the guards with her hold out blaster, and Luke blocked the red bolts that flew at her from across the docking platform. 

Two shadowy figures emerged from the shuttle under the protection of four bodyguards and disappeared out of the hangar. Luke couldn't recognize them from the distance, but the insignia on the shuttle was definitely Imperial. He knew he shouldn't be surprised. He didn't think the Empire would ever give up their war against the New Republic. Since the demise of Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Empire had been lacking in leaders capable of staging any kind of major campaign against the New Republic. But with the Force-neutralizing spice, the Empire could swing the balance of power into their favor. 

A blaster bolt sizzled past his arm with barely a millimeter to spare. Without the Force, his timing was slightly off, and several bolts were coming too close for comfort. Several guards trained their weapons on him, and he had to dive behind a stack of shipping crates for cover. He was effectively pinned there, and he worriedly searched the hangar to see how Mara was faring. 

A blaster bolt hit the hilt of Mara's lightsabre, causing it to fly several meters across the hangar. Not pausing for an instant, Mara emitted an enraged war cry, charged at a dead run up to one of the guards and kicked her foot squarely into his chest. The guard flew backward, but was quickly replaced by another who swung a heavy fist into Mara's stomach. Luke instinctively rose to rush to her aid, but a red bolt flew past his head preventing any rescue. He looked on helplessly as Mara engaged the guard who was easily twice her size. 

Mara had doubled over under the force of the punch, but she didn't miss a beat as she dodged the next fist that plunged down aiming toward her skull. She nimbly side-stepped the punch, and the guard's fist impacted with the unforgiving strength the duracrete floor. Standing up right, she kicked him in the stomach and delivered a blow to the back of his neck with the butt of her blaster. The man sank onto the floor unconscious. 

"Mara, behind you!" Luke cried as another guard tried to sneak up on her. 

With a dancer's grace, she spun and roundhouse kicked the man across the face. Blood ran down the guard's face, his nose probably broken, but he did not even seem to feel it. He kept coming toward her with his fist blocking every one of her punches. Mara ducked and backed up a few steps to give herself more room, then a few more steps until she found herself moving steadily toward the outer landing platform. 

The guards had ceased firing on her, apparently to keep from hitting one of their own, but she was still in trouble. Luke searched for some kind of weapon that would be more effective than his lightsabre. His eyes caught the label on the packing crates._ *Caution: Firearms* _Using his lightsabre, he cut a hole into the crate and several blasters tumbled out. Putting an extra blaster in his belt, he grabbed another blaster in one hand and kept his lightsabre in the other. He popped out from behind his hiding place, his blaster emitting deadly fire. 

The guards charged at him. He cut one down with his blade, and swept another off his feet with a kick to the knees. The others kept their distance after witnessing the deadly effects of the lightsabre, but they kept raining down the blaster fire from behind a make-shift barricade of crates. Luke checked on Mara out of the corner of his eye and continued to slowly work his way over to her. 

Mara was rapidly losing ground. Her lip bled from catching a couple punches, but she kept on fighting. She tried to kick her attacker in the groin, but he grabbed her leg, twisted and she crashed to the ground with a painful groan. She continued her twist, planted both hands on the ground and thrust her legs toward the man's head. He dodged, but in doing so, he lost his grip on her leg. Mara flipped back onto her feet, picking up her dropped blaster and firing a bolt square into the guard's chest. No longer able to use her attacker as her shield, the other guards began firing on her once more. She returned fire but couldn't advance. The edge of the landing platform loomed up behind her. She had no escape and nothing to hide behind. She was trapped. To make matters worse, more guards had been summoned to the hangar and they fired deadly bolts up at her from the trail leading to the hangar. 

Luke saw Mara's predicament. Throwing caution aside, he let loose another barrage of blaster fire at their assailants and made a mad dash toward her. He was within a few meters of her when suddenly the night sky flashed bright, and rocks of all sizes hailed down around him. His heart froze in his chest as the platform under Mara's feet crumbled away and her body disappeared over the edge. 

"MAAAARAAAAAA!" he screamed like a madman. 

To be continued…


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Luke fired wildly at the remaining guards in the hangar, neutralizing them in seconds. Then he sprinted over to the ragged edge of the platform and peered into the dark abyss below. 

"MAARAAA!" came his strangled cry. His voice echoed off the mountain walls, but no reply came. The light from the hangar could not penetrate the deep black of the forest night. In panicked frustration, he tried to reach out to his love, but the spice still rendered him Force-less. Her body had been engulfed by the night and was no where to be seen. His mind knew she could never have survived a fall from such a height, but his heart refused to listen. 

"No, not again," he pleaded to the night. "Please, no, not another one. Not Mara. MARA!" 

He lay paralyzed on the platform, his heart in his throat and his mind reeling. Blaster fire from below brought reality crashing back to him. He used every ounce of strength to push his sorrow down. He had to remember that the lives of all those slaves and the lives of the Jedi depended on stopping Guru and Callista. Dark thoughts of vengeance and anger crept into his mind, and for the first time since he had become a Jedi Master, he did not resist them. 

Luke dragged himself off the ground and ran across the hangar to the _Jade's Fire's_ berth. He punched in the code Mara had given him, dashed into the ship and locked her back down. As the access hatch locked shut, he saw the second wave of guards pour into the docking bay. Quickly he raised shields to keep their blasters from inflicting any damage on Mara's most prized possession. Confident in the _Fire's_ security systems, Luke made his way back to Mara's quarters. 

The door slid silently open, and Luke entered Mara's private sanctuary. He had never gotten more than a cursory look into the room before, and he absorbed every detail at once. The room was neat and orderly, but not lacking in knick-knacks. A few small paintings hung on the walls, and a pile of data pads were neatly stacked on her desk. But no holos of friends or family could be found anywhere. He fought down another wave of sadness that threatened to engulf him. Who besides him would mourn her loss? It had never really occurred to him before how empty Mara's life must have been. She should have been given a chance at a real life. Luke immediately kicked himself for wasting the many chances he had had over the years to give that to her. 

He couldn't think about that now. He had to send a message to Leia. Getting down on his knees, he lifted the blanket at the foot of her bunk and found a palm-sized black box with a control panel and extendable antennae. There was no voice mode for the contraption, but he had to smile at the state-of-the-art encryption device attached to it, which probably had cost three times as much as the comm unit. _So like her_. 

He was about to raise himself off the floor when another box caught his eye. He reached under the bunk, brought out a silver box and sat down with it on the bed. Thinking there might be more communications equipment inside, he lifted the lid and was surprised to find Talon Karrde smiling dashingly up at him from a holo. Luke's heart sank. Karrde was the one other person in the galaxy that had meant anything to Mara, and he was not looking forward to breaking the unhappy news. In the holo, Karrde had his arm affectionately wrapped around Mara, who looked like she was trying her hardest to seem barely tolerating of the gesture but failing miserably. Luke knew that face well. 

The rest of the box contained little treasures from unknown places with unknown stories. Luke was about to close the lid when piece of flimsiplast at the very bottom caught his eye. Figuring Mara wouldn't be able to kill him now for going through her personal belongings, he dug down and retrieved what turned out to be a photo of him. It was a photo from a news story from several years ago. The accompanying story was missing, but it looked to have been taken about the time right after their meeting on Myrkr. Several cracks creased the old photo, and a quick examination revealed that it had been torn up and pasted back together many times. 

The ship shuttered slightly, ripping Luke's attention away from his treasure. It sounded like Guru's men were bringing in heavier guns to disable the _Fire's_ shields. He placed the photo gently back in the box and returned it to its hidden place. He would come back for it later. Right now, he had to get out the docking bay and over to Guru's fortress before he and Callista could give the Imperial the spice. 

Grabbing the communications device, Luke darted to the cockpit. Out of the view port, he saw three men setting up a rocket launcher aimed at the Fire. He ran an eye over the battery controls and allowed himself a grim smile as he found a familiar set of buttons. He activated a ventral gun and rained down a fiery shower on his attackers. _Looks like Mara's been talking with Han about ship defenses._ Anyone left alive after the Fire's barrage of laser fire went scampering off into the forest. Luke grabbed a large backpack from a storage closet and filled it with extra blasters, thermo-nuclear detonators and enough arsenal enough to take out another Death Star. He hefted the pack onto his back, tucked the comm unit under his arm and clipped his lightsabre to his belt. Then he jogged down the access ramp and reengaged the locking mechanism. 

Luke knew he only had a short amount of time before Guru sent more reinforcements, so he quickly trotted over to the edge of what was left of the landing platform in order to get the clearest possible signal. Making sure the encryption device was active, he typed out a brief message and sent it to his sister's private comm channel. As a last minute idea, he also sent the message directly to the Millennium Falcon. He couldn't wait for a reply and simply hoped that either Han or Leia would get the message in time. 

Hoping that help was on the way, Luke began a search for a speeder bike that could take him to Guru's fortress. Halfway across the hangar, he accidentally kicked something small and metal. He bent down and picked up Mara's lightsabre. He fought down another wave of sorrow and clipped it next to his own lightsabre. Then he found a speeder on the other side of the docking bay, and he blasted through the trees within minutes. 

* * * *

As the speeder roared down the trail and toward Mt. Ch'ameki, Hagen held his limp captive in the shadows to keep from being detected. He looked down at her. She was beautiful. Even through the effects of the stun blast, her piercing green eyes were staring daggers at him. Guru would be pleased with his catch. Although with all the rubble that his concussion blast had caused, the small tractor device had had a hard time latching on to the woman's falling form. He brushed a strand of fiery red hair out of her eyes. It would have been a shame to let such a pretty thing be dashed to pieces on the rocks far below. 

Once Hagen was sure the coast was clear. He loaded his precious cargo into a sidecar on his speeder, and rushed off to deliver her to his master. 

* * * * *

The fog slowly receded to the back of Mara's brain as she woke to the Ewok celebration pounding against her temples. One side of her face felt sore and swollen, and she could taste the dried blood on her lips. She inhaled deeply and gasped as a sharp pain slashed into her ribcage. Somewhere between Mt. Ange and Mt. Ch'ameki, she had lost consciousness, most likely due to the effects of the stun gun. The last thing she remembered was flying through the trees, a captive of one of Guru's men. Groaning, she struggled to open her eyes, but try as she might, no light entered. Then she realized with a few firm blinks, that her eyes were open, and her cell was sheathed in complete darkness. She reached out with her senses to gage her surroundings, only to be met with a now familiar buzz that signaled a block in her Force abilities. 

_I guess we'll have to do this the old fashioned way,_ she thought grimly. 

The next thing to catch her attention was the cold, hard metal of the chains around her wrists and ankles. The manacles were attached together by a thick chain, allowing her to separate her hands by only a quarter of a meter. Another chain held her hands high above her head, which would account for the numbness she felt in her arms. At least her captors had given her enough slack to be able to stand up or sit down. 

She gave the chains a few good tugs. They didn't budge a millimeter. They were bolted tight into the rock wall. Rock? Something clicked in Mara's brain. She must not be in the house part of Guru's fortress. She had to be in one of the hidden passages that ran through out the mountain. She inhaled deeply and had to stifle a cough as an odor of sulfur and mildew bombarded her olfactory senses. If she could smell sulfur, then she must be close to the center of the mountain and the laboratory. 

Mara strained her ears for any telltale sounds. Nothing. Only a few clawed feet skittered along the rock floor. She hoped that whatever rodent the feet belonged to stayed far away from her. Then another sound caught her attention. Footsteps. Muffled, but definitely more than one pair. They grew louder, then suddenly stopped nearby. Metal clinked against metal. 

A shaft of light pierced through the darkness, and Mara's pupils did not have time to adjust. She squeezed her eyes shut at the welcome but intrusive light, and all the Ewoks that had been partying in her brain before seemed to get their second wind. Gradually, her eyes adjusted, and she found herself staring into the lewd smirk of their former host. Guru held up a lantern and shook his head in mock scolding. 

"Captain Asaro, what have you done to that pretty face of yours?" he asked sweetly. "Well, it looks like someone just knocked the spots right off you." 

Mara's face remained impassive as he burst out laughing at his own joke. 

"Give it a rest, Guru," a voice commanded from the shadows. A woman draped in a deep purple cloak floated regally out from behind the spice dealer and bent down to get a better look at Mara. "So here's the little whore who tried to come between me and Luke." 

"Callista," Mara nearly spat. "So you _have_ turned to the dark side." 

"Dark side, light side, who are we to judge what is dark or light," she said. "The Force is a tool, isn't that what you are always saying? So now I'm using all the tools at my disposal to get back what was stolen from me." 

"Skywalker?" 

"Yes, you might have been a convenient distraction for him in my absence," Callista replied, "but I assure you, he will no longer be needing your – services." 

"You don't know anything about Luke and me." 

"Don't I?" she arched her eyebrow maliciously. "I know about your little tryst in the forest." 

"I didn't know you were such a voyeur," Mara retorted. "Look, I'd love to do the catfight thing with you, Callista, but I'm a little tied up at the moment." 

"Smart move waiting until he had been poisoned, so you could nurse him back to health," she continued, ignoring the prisoner. 

"With lovers like you, who needs enemies," Mara muttered under her breath. 

"The poison was for you!" Callista screeched. "You were supposed to eat those dates!" 

"Great, so we not only have a dark Jedi to deal with, but an incompetent one," Mara shot back. 

"You gave those dates to him, so you poisoned him!" 

Mara stared at her captor. Callista was just short of a mental breakdown. She paced back and forth in front Mara, her hands trembling and her body wound tighter than a spring. Mara wondered just how hard it would be to push Callista over the edge. Without the Force to control her anger, Callista was a loose cannon. Suddenly, the dark Jedi took a calming breath and granted Mara a chilling smile. 

"Do you really think a Jedi Master could love an ex-Imperial who tried to kill him?" Callista ranted. "I never thought you could be that naïve, Jade. What kind of life would you have? You never even completed your training. You aren't good enough for Luke. He knows it, and his family knows it. They have always loved me. Leia and I were best friends, and we will be again. But you – you tried to kill her brother. You were allied with the people who destroyed her home world. You're tainted – tainted with the blood you've spilled in the _service_ of the Emperor. So what other _services_ did Palpatine require of his Hands?" 

Mara felt her face become hot, but she refused to indulge in this woman's insane ramblings. Using every ounce of her restraint, she held her anger in check. Lashing back at the woman's viciousness would be futile while she was chained. In that moment, she realized that Callista had read her fears as clearly as if she had spoken them herself. The only way Callista could know about those feelings she kept hidden would be if she had read them through the Force. Some how she had managed to find a way to block whatever drug they were using on her and Luke. 

Callista and Mara locked gazes. Green eyes burned into gray ones. The corners of Callista's mouth upturned into a sickly grin, and she lorded her power over the helpless trader. 

"For someone who claims to love Luke, you don't know him at all," Mara declared. She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt, and she emptied her head of useless thoughts lest Callista pick up on them. "Luke's greatest gift is his ability to forgive. He forgave his father, and so did Leia for that matter. He forgave me. Luke will come for me." 

Callista began to laugh maniacally. "Come for you? Why in stars would he?" 

"He loves me, and he will find me." 

A dark shadow twisted Callista's face into an ugly expression of hate. Her hand whipped out and slapped Mara solidly across the face, reopening the cut on her lip. In a mockingly sweet voice, she turned to Guru. 

"You know, I don't know of anyone who could have survived a fall from that height. Do you?" 

Guru shook his head. 

"A person wouldn't have a bone left intact after that kind of fall." Callista lowered herself to stare directly into Mara's eyes. "You are dead to him!" she spat. 

"What's the matter, Callista?" Mara asked calmly. "Are you mad because he loves me? Or because you know that he will come for me? He never came for you. He let you go. He'll never let me go." 

Callista shrieked and grabbed a fist full of Mara's hair. Before she could pummel her prisoner with her fists, her COM link beeped. She quickly composed herself and satisfied her rage with simply bashing Mara's head against the wall. Stars swam in front of Mara's eyes, and a ringing in her ears muffled out the voice on Callista's comm link. 

"We have business to attend to," Callista informed Guru. "We'll take care of her later." As the two jailers exited, Callista threw one last scornful look at her captive. 

The cell was once again bathed in darkness, and Mara let out a painful breath. Despite all her training as a cold-blooded assassin, her eyes began to tear up and she was having difficulty swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. She didn't want to think about Luke's emotional state if he thought she was dead. He would be devastated. 

"Luke," she whispered into the dark. "Don't believe them. I'm not dead." 


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Luke crept along the outer wall of Guru's fortress. He had hidden the speeder bike under some bushes and slung his bag of explosives over his shoulder. Getting into the fortress without being detected was going to be tricky without the Force. While flying at breakneck speed along the forest floor between the two mountains, he had felt the Force flow into him. But as soon as he approach Mt. Ch'ameki, a blanket dropped over his senses and nearly caused him to fly into a tree. Losing the Force was never easy, but with each hit, he seemed to adapt quicker. 

Luke paused in the shadow of a tree and espied a security camera. He reached for a fist-sized rock at his feet. But as he wound his arm for the throw, one hairy paw grabbed his forearm while another grabbed him around the chest and dragged him into the trees. He muffled a surprised yelp and struggled uselessly against the brute strength of his captor. 

"Shhh! It's okay," a small voice whispered to him. 

Once they were away from possible detection, the hairy arms of steel dropped him, and he found himself staring up at Annaïse. 

"Annaïse!" he exclaimed. "Is this our new recruit?" 

"Yes, this is Rohneyharwhump," she replied. "Rohney for short." 

The Wookiee let out a series of soft, gutter growls and barks. 

"He says he is honored to fight along side the great Jedi Master who freed his people from the Empire, and who is a friend of the mighty Chewbacca." 

Luke managed a polite nod and refrained from telling Annaïse that he understood most of the Wookiee language. "I'm going to need all the help I can get." 

Annaïse's brow furrowed, and she glanced around the area in confusion. "Where's Mara?" 

Even in the minimal light, Luke's face must have been a mask of pure hate, revenge and sorrow for the unshakable Annaïse took a step backward. "She's gone," he managed to say. "Dead." 

"Dead?" She shook her head not comprehending. "You must be mistaken. She's not supposed to die." 

"Well, you tell that to the bastards who killed her!" he snapped. 

"Did you see her die?" 

Luke look at her incredulously. "Of course I saw her die! I'll never forget the ground crumbling beneath her feet and her body plummeting hundreds of feet to be smashed against the rocks at the bottom of the mountain!" 

"So you saw her body?" she persisted. 

"No, but no one could survive a fall like that, especially not without the Force," he replied in dismay. He sank down onto a stump and held his forehead in his hands, trying to get a grip on his emotions. 

Annaïse eyed him worriedly, but with an expression of hope. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't give up on Mara so quickly. She's a very resourceful woman." 

"Resourceful, sure, but she can't fly." 

"She can't be dead. I know she's not. You will see her again," she said confidently. 

Luke seemed not to hear her. He stood up, his emotions checked. "We need to get into the fortress and finish this," he announced darkly. "Do you know a way into the laboratory without going through the house?" 

Rohney barked an affirmative and added a few chirps and twitters. 

"He says we'll find your lifemate if she lives and tear the arms out of the sockets whoever harmed her." 

"Then let's go," he replied eagerly. 

Annaïse led the trio around to the side of the mountain where another secret entrance gave direct access to the laboratory. Winding through the tunnels, they were hit immediately with the sour smell of sulfur. The access tunnel spat them out on the lower levels of the cavern. The soft orange glow of the molten magma boiling several meters down the pit cast eerie shadows on the intruders. 

Only two men guarded the entrance to the slaves' work area. Rohney bashed one's head against the rock wall with enough force that they could hear the bones in the skull crack. Luke cut through the middle of the other guard leaving his head and chest on one side of the entrance and his legs on the other. Luke glanced up at the Wookiee and saw revenge mirrored back at him. For some reason, that comforted him. 

He motioned Annaïse to join them. She tried to keep her face impassive, but Luke could see the uncertainty lying just beneath the surface. Uncertainty in his abilities or his intentions, he wasn't sure, nor did he really care. 

"Annaïse, you and Rohney organize the slaves and get them out of this mountain. You can take them back through the access tunnel. If you run into any problems, use these." He pulled out two blasters and a short blaster rifle from the bag. Rohney immediately grabbed the rifle with a feral showing of teeth and began inspecting its capabilities. Annaïse hesitantly took one of the blasters. 

"What are you going to do?" she asked. 

Luke nodded toward the upper levels. "I'm going to destroy this place. Once I blow the force field generator and set off a few explosions, this volcano is going to be one big bad fiery memory. And you're not going to want to be around when that happens. I'll set it on a timer, so make sure everyone is clear in say – two hours." 

"Just make sure you're clear in two hours too," she warned. 

"Don't worry, that will give me plenty of time to settle some unfinished business," he said glancing back toward the house. "Now go." 

He didn't wait for a response, but simply tossed Rohney the spare blaster and took off for the upper levels. Security seemed surprisingly minimal. Luke had only encountered one sleepy guard at each level and easily neutralized them. Each time, he dragged the bodies behind crates, boxes or some other temporary hiding place. He just hoped no one discovered them before he had a chance to set everything in place. 

At his desired level, he jumped a wiry looking young man who couldn't have been more than twenty years old. The box he was carrying crashed to the floor, its contents spilled out onto the floor. 

"Please don't hurt me!" the young man squealed, raising his arms to deflect an oncoming punch from Luke. "Take whatever you want!" 

Luke raised his fist to pummel his captive but couldn't bring himself to do it. He was so young. But if he let him go, he could raise the alarm and his mission would fail. If his mission failed, the lives of thousands could be in danger. 

"What do you do here?" Luke demanded. 

"I load and unload boxes," he replied shakily. "I didn't take anything, I swear!" 

Luke released the man. "What are you loading now?" he demanded picking up one of the white flowers that had tumbled out of the box. 

"I don't know, I just carry the boxes. I don't know anything, I swear." 

Luke nodded and glared at the loader. I'll let you live, but if I were you, I'd leave this mountain right now. And don't speak with anyone on your way out. Got it?" 

The young man's eyes grew round with relief and surprise. He nodded repeated a stuttering "thank you" as he scurried away from the Jedi. 

Luke scooped the flowers and dirt back into the box and hefted it on his shoulder. He crossed the catwalk to the hub suspended over the fiery pit. He tried to walk casually, as if he were delivering and installing parts to the generator. He prayed that no one would take particular notice of him. 

Once at the generator, he pried off the maintenance control panel. He dug around in his bag for a small vibroblade. He cut the alarm and backup systems first, then cut several wires in the panel causing the force fields in some areas to disengage. By letting the gases from the volcano seep gradually into the cavern, he could cause a much greater explosion with smaller detonator charges. Then taking a charge from the bag, he attached it with adhesive to the underside of the catwalk and set the timer for two hours. Picking up his bag and his box, he continued to place four more charges around the perimeter of the cauldron. 

Just as he had finished placing the fourth charge, a stern voice called to him. "You! What are you doing there?" 

"Who me?" Luke replied innocently. "I'm delivering this." He held up the flower-filled box. 

"This goes to section B-13," the guard stated suspiciously. "And I don't remember seeing you before. What's your name?" 

"Oh, I'm new here. Just started today in fact. I must have gotten lost. You know all these catwalks look the same to me." Luke shrugged his shoulders. 

The guard narrowed his eyes. "Let me see your security clearance," he ordered. 

"Oh, sure. Here, hold this." He shoved the box into the guard's hands, and before he could protest, Luke punched him squarely in the face. Stunned, the guard dropped the box and stumbled backward. Luke didn't miss a beat. He leapt over the fallen box and grabbed the man around the throat from behind. He pulled the guard off balance and squeezed his neck until he passed out. Then he pulled the unconscious body and the box out of sight. 

Luke peered over the railing of the catwalk and into the cavern below where the slaves worked. One by one, the slaves seemed to wander off and disappear. It looked like Rohney and Annaïse were succeeding in evacuating them. Then Luke searched for the secret passage he and Mara had used the night they had discovered this place. Once he found it, he disappeared into the darkness and crept through the tunnels to find Guru and Callista. 

* * * *

Callista swept into the grand chamber with Guru on her heels and came to an abrupt halt in front of a menacing looking man wearing light armor. He was surrounded by four guards and another smaller man in similar garb. "The product has passed the final tests and is ready for transport," she announced without preamble. 

The man gave a cursory glance at Guru before answering. "Have the cargo loaded onto my ship within the hour." 

"Of course," Callista replied icily, picking up a note of distain in the other's voice. She nodded toward her partner. "Guru will take care of it." She turned her back, signaling the end of the conversation. As both men walked briskly out the door, one of the laboratory guards rushed in with a look of panic on his face. Callista wrinkled her brow in agitation. "What is it?" 

"Ma'am," the guard began breathlessly, "we have a problem in the mines. Several of the workers are missing." 

"Missing?!" she exclaimed. "Well, where did they go? How many are gone?" 

The man lowered his eyes nervously. "We've lost over a third of the workers, and more continue to disappear every few minutes." 

Callista glowered at him, and with barely contained anger replied, "Block all exits out of the mountain. Send out search teams to find the others. Follow the river, they will most likely use it to hide their escape route." 

The man nodded and backed away slowly. 

"GO!" Callista bellowed. The man jumped and bolted out of the room. 

Callista slapped a nearby console in frustration. Luke. He had obviously infiltrated the lab and was freeing the workers. Pellaeon was not going to like this. If even one worker made it off planet, he could potentially bring down the entire New Republic on them with investigations into their business and working conditions. Their entire plan would be exposed. 

As if on cue, the comm began beeping with an incoming message from the Star Destroyer hanging in space above the planet. Swallowing the lump that had slowly formed in her throat, she hit the receiving button. A hologram of Pellaeon's face manifested over the console. 

"Report," he ordered. 

"After inspection of the product, we will begin loading the ship within the hour," Callista began. 

"Good. And Skywalker?" 

"He will arrive shortly," she replied, neglecting to mention that he had already made his presence known. "Once we have him, we will dispose of Jade." 

"I recommend that you dispose them both." 

"That wasn't the deal," Callista argued. "I will deliver the anti-Force spice on schedule to Yavin IV. Skywalker will be out of the way and of little importance to the mission." 

"I wonder if it was wise of me to allow you complete autonomy in handling the Skywalker situation," Pellaeon mused menacingly. "The security of this mission would undoubtedly benefit if Skywalker were taken out of the picture." 

Callista brought herself up to her full height and stared defiantly into the hologram's eyes. "If any harm comes to Skywalker, you can forget using me as a courier. And without me, you won't be able to come within a hundred light years of the Jedi Academy." 

"We can always find another way, my dear," he replied condescendingly. "But as you are the most convenient and efficient route the Jedi's demise, I will keep to our agreement. But I warn you, Callista, get Skywalker under control, or I will be forced to rescind my offer and you can go back to the hovel I found you in." 

Callista glared at the hologram for a moment longer before switching off the comm. Her mind sped frantically through available options to get this mess under control. At first, the deal with Pellaeon seemed like an easy enough task: get the man she loved and deliver some spice. It would have been a whole lot simpler to handle Luke if that little red-headed bitch hadn't invited herself along for the ride. Things were complicated now. She allowed herself a small smile knowing that Mara was out of Luke's life. He thought she was dead. He would be in pain; and pain makes people — even Jedi — more pliant. 

* * * * *

Guru's private comm beeped on his belt. "I have to take this," he said to Pellaeon's men. "My men will show you to the merchandise." With a curt nod, he disappeared down the corridor to his office. He flicked on the comm, and Pellaeon's head and shoulders appeared. 

"I am concerned about Callista's loyalty," Pellaeon said without preamble. 

"I certainly wouldn't trust her," Guru replied without trying to sound accusatory. "I believe her infatuation with Skywalker has jeopardized our facility. More than half of our working force has disappeared, and I believe Skywalker is responsible. You should have let me kill him when I had the chance." 

"Now if you had gone and killed our test subject, we would not have been able to ascertain that the spice worked," Pellaeon chided him. "It is a shame to lose so many workers. They cannot be allowed to leave the planet. It appears Skywalker has become too much of a liability. He knows too much. It is now time for you to kill him and Jade." 

"What about Callista?" Guru inquired. "Will she still carry out her task with her boy toy murdered?" 

"Leave her to me. Skywalker is more of a danger than Callista is. Keep an eye on her movements. She will put up a fight when she discovers her lover is dead, but try to take her alive. We may still be able to convince her to work with us after the deed is done." 

"Yes, sir," Guru said, and he flicked off the comm unit. A slow grin spread across his features. _Time to see how Ms. Jade is enjoying her quarters._

* * * * *

Mara sat in the darkness, her mind madly trying to think up a great escape plan. Actually, any escape plan, great or not, would have been nice. Unfortunately, no opportunities had presented themselves. No one had come to see her since Guru and Callista had left. No food. No bathroom breaks. She yanked again on her chains. They were securely fastened. Mara had never felt so helpless. It was not a feeling she was accustomed to. 

Her ears perked up catching footsteps in the outside corridor. She struggled to stand up, the chains making balance awkward. Keys jangled in the lock and light poured into the cell, briefly blinding her. When her eyes adjusted, she saw Guru standing in front of her. He gave her his custom leer, she gave him her custom glare. 

"So where is your master?" Mara inquired sweetly, noticing he slid the keys into the pouch on his belt. 

"This is a private meeting, Jade," he replied running a finger down one cheek. 

Mara had to fight to keep her shudder of revulsion from showing. "You know the service in this place sucks." 

Guru gave her a wan smile. "Cute." 

"Seriously, what's a girl gotta do to get to a bathroom around here?" 

"I don't think so, Jade. I'm not that stupid." He circled around her, eyeing her hungrily. He pressed up against her from behind and buried his face in her hair. "You know I think I liked you better with your spots." 

"Well, how about something to eat?" she asked clenching her teeth. 

"I'm sure we can arrange something," he replied nonchalantly. His hands slid up her sides and over her stomach, then moved up to cup both of her breasts. Her muscles flexed, wanting so badly to launch him against a wall and take her lightsabre to the bulge that was now pressing against the small of her back. Her stomach turned sour. Guru completed his circle and stood in front of her 

"You know as soon as she gets what she wants, she'll turn on you," Mara stated. "She'll leave you to clean up whatever mess she leaves." 

Guru chuckled indulgently. "Callista is not the one holding the reins here, in case you couldn't tell. She wants me to kill you, you know. Can you give me a good reason why I shouldn't just slit your throat right now?" 

"I can think of a few," she replied with a sly smile. "But I'm not really in the right position to negotiate." 

"On the contrary, I think you're in the perfect position." 

Guru grabbed her roughly and smeared his mouth across hers. Mara held herself in check and tried not to gag on his tongue as it pushed its way between her teeth and down her throat. His hands cupped her ass, and he pulled her against him. After several minutes, he broke away from the harsh kiss in order to catch his breath. Mara gave him her best seductive smile and began nibbling on his earlobe and neck. The slack in the chains allowed her to bring her legs up around his waist. This excited him, and he began tearing off her tunic off. Then Mara found her chance. She opened her mouth wide and chomped down on his throat. Surprised, Guru tried to throw her off of him, but she bit down mercilessly and squeezed him harder with her legs around his rib cage. She suffered as Guru repeated punched her in the head, trying frantically to force her to release his windpipe from her teeth. He pulled away from the chains, but Mara had securely latched on to him. She tasted blood as she broke through the skin. 

Guru fell to his knees, and Mara went with him, never easing her grip. Even when he had gone completely limp in her grasp, she continued choke the air from him like a feline with her prey. Finally, she spit him out like a bad piece of fruit, and he sagged to the floor. She wiped the blood from her chin with her sleeve. 

Her hands were still suspended above her head, so she used her foot to yank off one of her boots. With her toes she dug into Guru's belt and easily found the key. Grabbing it between her toes, she took it out of the pouch. Now the hard part was going to be getting the key from her toes to her fingers. The chains prevented her from reaching her feet with her hands. Eyebrows knitted in concentration, she maneuvered the key onto the top of her foot and lightly tossed it toward her hands. It fell to the floor. Mara let out a frustrated breath, and tried it again. Again, she missed and the key fell to the floor. _Patience, I must learn patience,_ she repeated to herself. 

Finally on the eighth attempt, she caught the key with the tip of her fingers. Moving quickly, she unlocked her manacles, gave Guru a swift kick in the head and dashed out of the cell, locking him inside. Once outside, she inhaled the smell of sulfur and followed the strongest odors down the corridor toward its source. 


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Mara tip toed down the dark passages until a familiar orange glow signaled the immense volcanic cavern ahead. Keeping out of sight, she peered down the shaft at the multiple levels and noticed a sense of agitation from the several of the guards. They marched hurriedly in groups of twos and threes waving their arms in subtle but telling nervousness. Their heads pivoted spasmodically as if in search of something — or someone. Suddenly, Mara realized the number of slaves had dwindled to approximately a third of what she and Luke had encountered previously. 

Then, from her vantage point high above the guards, she spotted a lanky Wookiee and young girl darting between crates. She recognized the girl as being Annaïse, but she did not remember ever seeing her hairy companion before. Mara searched madly for the figure of a certain dashing Jedi Master, but did not see him anywhere. While the guards were searching another corner of their level, the two signaled a small group of slaves near them and led them soundlessly out of the cavern. When the guards returned they swarmed to the area where the slaves once were in a near panic. Mara could hear their unintelligible shouting and had to laugh at their fruitless attempts at finding the slaves' escape route. 

Obviously, Luke had not given up on their mission. But where was he? Callista. If he thought she was dead, he would be after blood — Callista and Guru's blood. Mara desperately wished she could touch him through the Force, tell him she was alive. Even without the Force, she felt in her heart that if she did not reach him soon, he would seek revenge, which would only make him fall to the dark side. She had to get to Callista first. 

The secret entrance into the house lay on the other side of the chasm. Mara decided she didn't have time to sneak all the way around the circumference. She would have to chance it being out in the open. Her clothes were already torn and dirty, so she slumped her shoulders and placed a look of dejection on her face and began a non-hurried walk toward one of the catwalks. 

She had nearly reached the other side when she encountered a box turned over in the middle of the catwalk. Her brow furrowed. That's odd. Taking a quick glance around to see if she was still unspotted, she squatted down to inspect the contents which had spilled out of the box. She picked through the delicate white flowers. Buried in the dirt, lay a piece of flimsiplast. She dug it out and perused the contents. A map of the island was printed on the top with several sections of the mountains colored red. Instructions printed beneath the map ordered the receiver to extract the seeds and treat them with some sort of compound. 

Frowning, Mara scooped flowers into the box and hauled it over to an isolated computer console. Luckily the last person to use the computer had left the computer logged on. She typed the compound into the computer. She quickly glanced around in case that person might decide to return to his work. After a few seconds, the information rolled across the screen. Mara blinked and double checked the entry to make sure she hadn't made some sort of mistake. According to the computer, the compound they were treating the flowers with was the same as the drug that had overloaded her Force senses. 

She grabbed the flimsiplast again and stared at the map. The areas that she and Luke had lost their Force senses were in the same areas that were marked in red on the map. Images of the white flowers surrounding Guru's fortress and the white flower hiding the access panel to the mountainside entrance flashed across her memory. She returned to the map and followed one of the rivers from Mt. Ch'ameki to where they had regained their Force senses. Sure enough, the corresponding area was not in a red section. 

But Guru was not only altering the flowers, he was infecting the seeds too. So when this generation of flowers of dies, its offspring would continue to produce the drug. And he would be able to transport the flowers to almost anywhere in the galaxy, because they would only show up as the original harmless flowers at any border checkpoints. They would have no idea about the genetic alterations until it was too late! 

Mara quickly shut down the files she had pulled up and stashed the box under a work table and almost yelped in surprise when she encountered an unconscious body. The guy had a serious black eye forming, and the red marks around his neck suggested he was strangled until he blacked out. Mara smirked. Obviously, Luke had gotten here before she did. She gently patted the guard down and found his fully charged side arm. Then she dashed over to the section hiding the entrance to the main house and disappeared into darkness. 

* * * *

Luke wandered through the darkened corridors of the mansion, cautiously poking his head into each of the lavish chambers he came across. The house was unusually quiet. Too quiet. He had not run into any guards or personal staff of any kind. Even the few droids he had glimpsed earlier were eerily absent. 

Keeping his lightsabre at the ready in one hand, he slowly turned the old fashioned handle on one of ornately engraved wooden doors and pushed it open. This room was the largest yet. With high ceilings, gothic pillars and randomly scattered greenery, the room was more a garden than a bedchamber. One wall was made almost entirely of glass and gave a view that in the daytime would have expanded all the way to the white sandy beaches on the Eastern side of the island. Although the Force remained elusive to him, Luke knew in his gut that he had found Callista's chambers at last. 

His gut was proven right when he turned a corner and found Callista resting on a large cushioned sofa. Luke's throat tightened at the sight of her looking so relaxed and so beautiful, yet she wore an expression of sadness. She refused to look at him and kept her gaze distant. She had shed her disguise as Guru's assistant Auria. The folds of her wine-colored skirt splayed like the petals of a wild flower about her slim body. Anger, hurt, betrayal, love and remorse flowed as one river through Luke's consciousness. Callista was the cause of Mara's death, adding one more body count to the growing list of people who had gotten too close to Luke Skywalker. Fighting to get his emotions under control, he approached her, his lightsabre ready to spring to life at the slightest twinge of his thumb. 

Without warning, Callista raised her eyes to meet his, and he was taken aback to see that her eyes were moist with unshed tears. She made no move to defend herself. She only held his gaze for a fleeting moment before staring off into space as before. Luke had expected a fight with a dark Jedi or at least an impassioned plea for him to come back to her. This apathy stopped him in his tracks, and he found his negative emotions being replaced by curiosity and, even more deadly, hope. Maybe Callista really had been a pawn in all of this. Maybe she hadn't caused Mara's death. 

"What's going on here, Callista?" Luke asked. In all the confusion in his mind, it was the only thing he could think to say. 

"I'm sorry, Luke," she began. "I never meant for this to go so far. I never meant for anyone to get hurt — for anyone to die." 

Tears began to slip down her cheek, but Callista made no move to wipe them away. Luke felt himself sitting down beside her without even remembering walking the final distance to the sofa. He set his lightsabre next to him. They sat in silence for several uncomfortable moments, not daring to utter a word even if it would ease the tension. Callista made no move toward Luke but kept her head bowed in shame. Finally, Luke moved closer to her and put his arm around her trembling shoulders. She did not resist and let him hold her until she regained control of herself. 

Despite the vengeance he had felt for Mara's death, Luke could feel himself softening toward his former lover. Forgiveness is of the light side of the Force, he repeated to himself. Callista may have temporarily fallen to the dark side, but he could help her find her way back. Callista raised her tear-stained face. Luke wiped away her tears. 

"How did this happen," Luke asked without judgment. "You were once such a great Jedi." 

Callista looked away. "Once." She repeated bitterly. "You don't know how hard it has been for me, Luke. To know that I can still do the things I used to do before I took over Cray's body. I still have that power, but it is forbidden to me because it now comes from the dark side. It is like the universe or the Force itself has played some kind of cruel joke. I cheated death, so the Force cheated me of my destiny. Never mind the near eternity I spend protecting that infernal ship from falling into the wrong hands." 

"Your light side powers were taken from you for a reason," Luke responded gently. "I have to believe that there is a purpose in that beyond the universe playing a cruel joke on you. But that still doesn't explain how you ended up in this place with Guru manufacturing spice that could be devastating for all Jedi — including those you used to call friends on Yavin four." 

"If you had seen how I'd been living, you'd understand. I bought passage to the most remote planet in the star charts so you wouldn't be able to find me. But once I got there, I couldn't escape. I was forced into near slave labor, washing out refreshers for the rich or serving ale to the slime of the galaxy. When Guru found me, I had already exercised some of my dark Force powers in keeping me safe from some of the more unsavory citizens. I thought I had it under control. 

"Then Guru rented a villa in the town I had been living in, and I began to clean for him. He liked me and made me his personal assistant for the remainder of his stay. We began talking, and soon he found out who I was. He offered to take me to this island where I would work with him undercover on a special project. I would use my powers to disguise myself as Auria, so no one would know who I was. And in return, he said he would help me win you back. I knew he dealt in spice, but I had no idea what he was concocting for the Jedi. 

"Then about a week ago, Guru told me he had arranged for you to come to the island, and everything I had been working for was about to come true. But when you arrived with Mara, I knew I was too late. I was so jealous, it nearly drove me insane. When I found out Guru's plans to capture you both, I did nothing to stop him. I didn't think he would actually go so far as to kill either of you. I guess I was wrong." 

Luke had remained silent during Callista's confession, trying to make sense of everything she had told him. Everything she said seemed to fit with the information he already had, but something continued to nag at the back of his mind. But his heart ached to believe her. He needed to believe her, to rid himself of the pain that had been his constant companion for so many years. He closed his eyes. The distant hum that had engulfed his mind since he had been exposed to the anti-Force spice began to grow louder. 

"I'm so sorry, Luke," she whispered when he hadn't said anything. "I just wanted us to be together again, as equals." 

"I never thought of you as anything less than an equal," Luke insisted. It was the same argument they had had time and again when they were together, until one day Callista ended the argument by disappearing. This time, however, it seemed like it was finally starting to sink in. 

"I realize that now," she said. "I know I have no right to ask this, but I want us to have another chance. Is that even possible now?" 

She looked up at him with her gray eyes so full of hope and the near desperation for a life companion. Luke had seen that same look reflected back at him so many times in the mirror. He too simply wanted to ease the aching loneliness that pierced his heart every time he saw the happy family gatherings at his sister's apartments. He thought he could've had that with Mara, but Fate or the Force had decided differently. But now he was being given another chance at happiness. And he wouldn't let it slip through his fingers this time. 

He leaned forward and locked his lips to Callista's. Their breath mingled as they wrapped their arms around each other. Luke breathed in the almost forgotten scent of her hair and skin, caressed the familiar contours of her body. When their lips broke away, they remained in an embrace. 

"We still have a lot to work through," Luke murmured, a look of sadness mixed with hope passing over his features. 

"We'll make it this time," Callista replied. A triumphant grin slid across her face. 

* * * * *

Mara rapidly moved through the house in search of Luke. She passed through the empty corridors with trepidation. She grasped her stolen blaster with a steady hand, ready for any would-be attacker. Silently she opened doors and peeked inside. The house appeared to be empty. Odd. She entered one room that served as a either a sitting room or a reading room. A door on the adjacent wall led to another room, and that room lead to another. 

Mara wandered through the maze, confident in her abilities to find her way back. She encountered a narrow set of stairs leading to a loft or balcony and yet another door. She reached out her hand to turn the knob, but halted when she heard voices. Immediately, she recognized one of them as belonging to Luke. Her heart soared despite the feminine voice that accompanied him. He must have found Callista, and as the voices were not raised in anger, he must have found a way to subdue her. She passed through the doorway and found herself on another balcony that was a reflection of the previous one. From her vantage point, she could see two figures sitting on a sofa. Her heart stopped beating for a second. There, wrapped in the arms of her captor and tormentor, was her lover. Their lips locked in a passionate kiss, which was then followed by a tender embrace. She could not see Luke's expression, because his back was to her, but the expression on Callista's face was as clear as Calamarian crystal. Callista had won. 

Mara fought back her tears and silently exited the room. It looked like it would be up to her to complete the mission and save the Jedi Academy. She pushed her personal feelings aside and headed for the lower level. 

* * * * *

A shadowy movement caught Callista's eye. She glanced over Luke's shoulder and up into the balcony. Stretching out with the Force, she at first felt nothing. She discreetly rubbed her nose, and her fingers brushed over the imperceptible bump where the nose filters had been lodged to protect her from the spice. Reaching out again, she caught a whisper of muted pain and betrayal seeping through an iron fist of control. Callista's expression darkened. Mara Jade must have escaped. But her agitation did have a silver lining; seeing Luke in her arms must have been quite a blow. 

Callista's face melted back into the warm-hearted, tortured, penitent expression that had enraptured Luke. She pulled away from him gently. "Luke, we need to leave this place." 

Luke opened his eyes as if awaking from a deep sleep. "Leave?" Suddenly some spark of memory lit his face. He stood up abruptly, grabbed Callista's hand and began pulling her toward the door. "We have to leave now." 

Overjoyed, Callista followed him down the corridor. But a tendril of suspicion pulled at her. "Don't get me wrong, Luke, I'm glad we're getting out of here, but why the big rush? What about Guru and buyer?" 

"I've taken care of it," he replied simply. 

"Wait!" Callista pulled up short causing Luke to stumble backward a few steps. "I forgot, there is one last thing I must do before we leave." 

"We don't have time," Luke insisted. 

"It will only take a second," she persisted. "It will take a few minutes to find a speeder or hover car to take us to the hangar. While you do that, I can finish my business here." 

Callista could tell Luke wasn't going for the plan, so she exerted subliminal pressure on him through the Force. But she had to be careful, because even though he couldn't feel the Force, he was a smart man and would figure out he was being manipulated if she didn't keep him distracted. 

After a pause, Luke finally nodded. "Okay, but meet me in the antechamber next to the grand reception room in five minutes." He kissed her roughly before taking off at a dead run down the hallway. Callista rubbed her chin where his several days of beard growth had scratched her. She reminded herself to give him a shave first thing when they reached her ship. 

She whirled on her heel and ran back to her quarters. Picking up her comm, she beeped Guru. He was quick to respond. "You idiot! You let Jade escape! You were supposed to kill her!" 

Guru's voice came back raspy and strained. "We'll find her. Don't you worry about that." 

"You'd better find her. She could mess up all our plans. Find her and kill her — permanently this time." Callista jammed the comm into a pocket. A small feeling of guilt tickled her conscience. Luke obviously planned on destroying the lab, maybe even the whole island. That would explain his haste — no, his desperation — in getting her off world as quickly as possible. She brushed the feeling aside. Guru was getting what he deserves and so was she. If he perished along with his men and Pellaeon's delivery boy, then so be it. She had what she wanted and no one was going to ever use her again. She took a last glance at her luxurious quarters, then dashed off to the rendezvous spot to meet Luke. 


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 23**

Mara picked her way cautiously among the rooms and corridors until she found herself outside. The bomb was set to go off in twenty minutes. She had to make sure Annaïse and the slaves made it to safety. She had seen the slaves escaping through a tunnel, and if she had her bearings right, the tunnel should spit them out on the eastern side of the grounds. She groped in the darkness along the wall of the house. Her footsteps were muffled by the birds' early morning songs. The sky was beginning to lighten announcing the approach of dawn, but the many trees scattered on the property left most of the ground in dark shadow. 

Suddenly a hairy paw clamped over her mouth. But before the other paw could wrap around her torso, she slammed her elbow into an impenetrable mass behind her. The creature did not even flinch, and she was soon encased in a mountain of fur. No amount of squirming would release her from her captor. 

"Mara?" a small voice whispered in awe. "Mara, I knew you were still alive! Rohney, put her down." 

Mara immediately recognized Annaïse's voice. She spat a few strands of fur from her mouth and threw her a sardonic smile that was most likely lost in the darkness. "Well, at least somebody still has faith in me. Nice to meet you, Rohney." 

The Wookiee let out a soft bark in reply but backed away with a look from Annaïse. 

"Luke was nearly destroyed by your death," Annaïse said. "It is probably a good thing he can't use the Force, because he is perilously close to the dark side." 

"Trust me, Luke is just fine," Mara replied through clenched teeth. "He's already moved on to someone new — or old — or whatever. Anyway, he may have forgotten about our mission, but I haven't. Have all the slaves been evacuated?" 

"Yes, but doesn't that seem odd to you?" 

Mara shrugged impatiently. "Have Guru and the buyer finished loading the transport yet?" 

"No, but what about Luke?" 

"Luke can take care of himself. Now, if we can delay the transport a few more minutes, we can take of both of them in one fell swoop." 

"Mara, listen to me!" Annaïse demanded loudly. Both women glanced around nervously to make sure they were not heard. The coast was clear. "Think about it. What is Luke Skywalker well-known for?" 

"Naivety, long sermons on the Force, getting into trouble — pick one," Mara retorted. 

"What about his sense of duty?" 

"It can be one of his more annoying qualities," Mara admitted. "That's how he usually gets into trouble in the first place: leaping into a dangerous situation with no thought as to the consequences to himself. So what are you getting at?" 

"You have quite the reputation yourself, you know," Annaïse continued. "Hot tempered, good in a fight, always getting Luke out of trouble…" She poked her in the leg to drive home her point. "And you never give up. Isn't it possible that Luke is being manipulated by Callista right now? He is torn up over your 'death.' It was the straw that broke the Bantha's back. He needs your help to find his way back. Are you seriously going to stand by, nursing your bruised ego and not help him?" 

The scene in Callista's chamber played over again in Mara's mind. Each time their kiss felt like a lightsabre blade in her heart. Luke would never be over that woman. But if Callista really was stringing him along, and Mara knew the conniving little bitch was, then maybe it was up to her to step in and reveal Callista's true colors. Mara shifted her weight uncomfortably. When held side by side, Callista's sins would never even compare to the atrocities that Mara had committed in her lifetime. 

"Go to him," Annaïse whispered. "He needs to see the truth. Then let him judge." 

Mara checked her chrono. Fifteen minutes to go. Damn! She punched the wall in a surge of emotion. "Go get a safe distance from here. I've got to go rescue someone — again." 

Annaïse smiled and motioned for Rohney to follow her. They disappeared among the trees. Mara retraced her steps back along the wall. She clung to the shadows making herself as invisible as possible in the brightening daylight. She reached the grand staircase and had begun to climb the stairs to the front door when the hairs on her neck prickled. She crouched into a defensive posture but too late. Three men jumped her, and despite her reputation for being good in a fight, the three burly men had surprised her and effectively immobilized her. 

"Sir, we've caught the escaped prisoner outside the front door," one of the guards said into his comm. "We're taking her into the grand reception room where we will await further instructions." 

Mara tried to struggle, but they had her arms pinned awkwardly behind her making any movement send lightning bolts of pain through her shoulders. She tried a few well-placed kicks, but kept her off-balanced enough to prevent the attack from succeeding. She was led squirming into the mansion. Some rescue, she berated herself. 

Much to her surprise and that of the guards, the grand reception room was already occupied when they arrived. 

* * * * *

Luke darted into the antechamber, and Callista was already there waiting for him. "I've got a speeder. Let's go." 

He grabbed Callista's hand, and she followed him eagerly. He had to get her away from the mountain before the explosives he set detonated. He would be relieved to put the events of the past few days behind him and escape the ever-increasing buzz that came from somewhere inside his head. 

The two of them burst through the antechamber door and into the grand reception room. No sooner had they crossed the threshold when the door on the opposite side of the room banged open. Luke's heart began to pound sensing an oncoming fight. He lifted his lightsabre and began to charge across the room, hoping to catch them by surprise. 

At first, he could only see a broad back filling the expanse of the doorway. Then three more bodies spilled into the room. All three of the men were fighting with some captive. Suddenly, a powerful leg shot out catching one of the men in the chest and sending him sprawling to the floor. Luke stopped dead in his tracks. Every organ in his body seemed frozen as the prisoner looked up, her green eyes piercing through a veil of tangled red hair. Luke paled and his eyes widened in disbelief. Finally, his vocal chords came back to life. "Mara!" He choked out. 

By this time, the guards had become aware of the other two occupants in the room, and taking in the green lightsabre poised for attack, they immediately went on the defensive. The man who had been knocked to the floor came up with his blaster aimed at Luke. Mara was still providing too much resistance for the other two so one of them punched her in the stomach causing her to double over. That hit was all it took to shake him from his shock. Luke charged. 

"Luke, no!" He heard Callista shout. But her voice seemed distant and irrelevant compared with the rage and protectiveness he felt bubbling up inside him. The armed man fired off multiple rounds at the Jedi, but Luke had become an enraged blur. The lightsabre danced green around him becoming an impenetrable shield. The man ducked and dodged lethal slashes at his hands, throat and abdomen. 

"How can he do that?" the man cried in a panic. "He shouldn't be able to use his powers!" 

"He's got more skill in his pinkie finger than you have in your entire body, asshole," Mara spat. 

The man fired wildly, but to no avail. Then Luke saw an opening. He saw the man try to feint to the right, so he was ready for him on the left. Luke deftly knocked the blaster away from him and landed a solid kick on his chest. Once again, the man found himself sprawled on the intricately tiled floor. 

Luke made as if to lunge at the man and give him the final blow, but a charging blaster stopped him. 

"One more move, and I'll cook her brains, Jedi," said one of the men holding Mara. He held a mass of her hair at the base of her neck and with the other hand he held the business end of a blaster to her head. The other man held her arms firmly to ensure she did not try anything heroic. 

Luke felt a lump rise in his throat, but he refused to lower his lightsabre. If he aimed perfectly, he could throw the lightsabre at Mara's captor and decapitate him. But if he was even a millimeter off, he could end up slicing up the woman he loved. He locked eyes with the fiery jade ones in front of him and a silent message passed between them. Mara's shift in weight was imperceptible to everyone but Luke. She was ready. 

Then suddenly she broke eye contact, and her gaze flicked to something behind him. She hadn't even uttered a sound before Luke whirled at an attack from behind. But he was too late. A heavy object clunked him on the left temple with enough force to knock him to the ground. As the world turned fuzzy, he saw Callista standing over him with an almost apologetic look on her face. Then everything went black. 

* * * * *

Callista stooped over Luke's still form and plucked the lightsabre from his hand. 

"You're gonna pay for that," Mara seethed through gritted teeth. She renewed her struggle against the two muscle men, but they had her effectively pinned between them. 

Callista strode over to her and gave her a cool grin before backhanding her across the side of her head with the butt of the lightsabre handle. Immediately Mara was as limp as Luke. 


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

"Now, then," she said to the guard pulling himself off the floor, "put Skywalker into a speeder and head for Mt. Uzbira. Load him onto my personal ship and have it ready for take off by the time I get there." 

The guard made no move toward the unconscious Jedi, but instead approached Callista with maliciousness in his eye. She eyed him with surprised and irritation. He was actually attempting to capture her! Then she remembered her guise. Closing her eyes, she summoned on her powers and transformed herself back into the form of Auria. All three guards shrank back in fear mumbling oaths and prayers in their native languages. 

"Now, do as I command!" Callista ordered. 

"What shall we do with the woman?" one of the other guards asked humbly. 

"I don't care," she replied impatiently. "Shoot her, drown her, bash her in the head for all I care. Just make sure she never wakes up." 

"Luke will never wake up either, my dear," a soft voice murmured from the doorway. Guru's commanding presence had an instant effect on the guards. They came to attention immediately and awaited their orders. 

"We had a deal," she said. "No harm was to come to Luke." 

"The deal has changed. Skywalker has become too much of a liability." 

"If you kill him, I won't deliver the spice for you," she threatened. "You'll never even get close enough to the Academy to use it. You need me." 

"Your usefulness is questionable. If you value your life and Skywalker's, you will complete your part of the agreement. If not, well, then you can watch as I fillet your lover in front of your eyes." 

Callista's eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and fear. "You wouldn't dare. We'll just see what the Vice Admiral has to say about that." She moved toward a communications console, but with one look from Guru, the guards snatched her from her path nearly hauling her off the ground. Callista screeched in outrage, and a great invisible hand seized the guards and hurled them several meters across the room. She stood tall, gathering the Force around her. Her fingers sparked, preparing to unleash Force lightening should anyone come near her. 

Guru took a few cautious steps backward, but did not look surprised at Callista's sudden use of the Force. He made a few inconspicuous motions with his fingertips that went unnoticed by the enraged dark Jedi in front of him. 

Callista's attention had shifted to the guards holding Luke and Mara. "You will take Skywalker to my ship," she commanded, her voice resonating eerily in the grand room. The guards left Mara where she was and carried Luke toward the door. Callista's gaze then bored into Guru's eyes daring him to try to stop her. 

"You pathetic little man," she spat. "Did you really think I would let you render me helpless? Pellaeon's faith in your abilities has clearly been misplaced." 

"Perhaps," Guru replied smugly. 

Callista eyed him suspiciously, but a Force probe of his mind revealed nothing but inexplicable feeling of triumph. She decided it was time to take her leave, and hurried toward the guards who were almost to the door. Suddenly the door burst open and a snarling beast leaped through the entrance, its attention immediately focusing on her. Callista's stomach dropped into her shoes as she recognized the vornskr and the empty void in the Force surrounding it. The vornskr tugged at its leash dragging its handler into the grand reception room. 

Callista shoved her fear away and whipped out her lightsabre. It was only one vornskr. She was sure she would be able to kill it fairly easily. But then three more vornskrs burst through the entrance with their handlers in tow. Callista felt like a heavy blanket had been thrown over her as she belatedly realized that the handlers had ysalamiri on their backs. The creatures' anti-Force bubbles reinforced each other and encompassed the entire room. Although, the vornskrs had calmed when the anti-Force bubble surrounded her, they still saw her as prey. She stumbled slightly, but maintained her balance, determined not to go down without a fight. She charged at the closest beast and managed to slice off its head before a stun blast nailed her in the back. She slumped to the floor barely conscious. 

Guru stood over her with an arrogant grin. "You see, I'm not as unprepared as you assumed," he boasted. He gazed down at the three bodies unmercifully. "Take them to the laboratory," he ordered his guards, "and bring the other vornskrs and ysalamiri in case they wake up." He would keep Skywalker alive for the moment to use as leverage against Callista should she decide not to cooperate. And if Skywalker should prove difficult to manage, he could use Jade to manipulate him. No one would stand in his way. 

* * * * *

The world slowly came back into focus, and to Mara's dismay, she found herself in the orange glow of the underground laboratory with yet another pounding headache and the smell of sulfur assailing her nostrils. Her back rested against the cold metal of one of the laboratory tables. She wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious, but since the mountain wasn't in flames, she guessed for only a few minutes. But that still left her and Luke only a few minutes to devise a plan and execute it before everyone was incinerated. 

She spied a guard a few feet away and remained completely still in hopes he wouldn't realize she had regained consciousness. Instead she glanced around her field of vision to gain her bearings. Her hands and feet had been bound tightly with rope and then she had been dumped on her side with a clear view of the center control station suspended over the burning chasm of the volcano. Guru stood on the center platform with a data pad ordering his men to load crates onto transport speeders. From the amount of crates being moved, Mara estimated that half the merchandise had already been moved to the docking bay on Mt. Uzbira. 

Callista stood a few feet away from Guru looking sullen and nervous. She appeared to be unarmed and warily watched Guru like a caged animal. Something had transpired between them. What, Mara had no clue, but whatever it was, it wasn't good. She logged that piece of information away in her mind. It could be useful in the near future. 

Slightly to her left and twenty meters away, she saw Luke lying in a similar heap. She caught a slight movement in his head and realized he had regained consciousness. That was good news at least. 

Mara dared to discreetly move her hands. As she suspected, Guru's men had removed any possible weapons from her body. Or so they thought. She suppressed a grin and reached into the waist band of her pants. Hidden in the material was a collapsible knife. It wasn't much, but it was a start. She made short work of the ropes binding her hands and feet, silently sawing them into shreds. Once or twice she had to fake unconsciousness when her guard turned to peer a little too closely at her for comfort. 

Once free, she glanced over at Luke and realized he was staring back at her. She lifted one of her hands to show him she was loose. He did the same, and Mara felt a rush of admiration and curiosity for how quickly he had accomplished it. Now if they could just work out some kind of coordinated attack. If only they could use the Force. Surprise was their only weapon now, and they would only have one chance to use it, so they had better make it count. 

Luke made a movement with his head toward his guard followed by a couple of concealed hand signals. Mara understood. He had a plan. First, they would have to neutralize their guards without alerting Guru or the rest of the workers. They would probably only have a minute or so before Guru realized his captives had broken free. 

Luke signaled her with a series of new hand signals followed by an interrogative gesture. They needed a diversion. Mara glanced furtively at her surroundings for anything that would attract attention. A few feet above her, she found it. On the laboratory table sat several large vials of clear liquid marked highly flammable. Making sure the coast was clear, Mara shot out her arm, snatched one of the vials, hid it behind her back and sank back to the ground in seeming-unconsciousness. Through a veil of lashes, she saw the guard glance at her, but make no move toward her. As soon as the guard turned away, she gave Luke the thumbs up signal. 

Mara's muscles coiled, ready to spring at any moment. It would be up to her to set events in motion. She twisted the cap so a small but steady stream poured from the vial, and then set it rolling between her and Luke. Her guard's head jerked at the sound, just the distraction she was looking for. She leaped to her feet, clamped one hand over the man's mouth and ran her knife across his larynx. He slumped to the floor with only a soft thump. Mara pushed any feelings of remorse from her consciousness. There was no time for that. 

She looked over at Luke in time to see him break the neck of his guard. As she had hoped, her attack had distracted the other guard long enough for Luke to make his move. They exchanged a quick grim but determined look, before proceeding. Mara stooped over her guard and stole his blaster. Luke had confiscated a blaster as well and nodded his readiness for part two of their plan. They ran for the spot Luke had pointed out that would provide good cover as well as a favorable place to fire upon the enemy from. After taking only a few steps, Mara turned and fired at the trail of flammable liquid her rolling vial had left. Guru looked up in time to see a band of fire race along the durasteel floor and explode as it reached the vial. 

By that time, Luke and Mara had made it to the relative safety behind a stack of crates. Callista had used their distraction to her advantage and slipped away unnoticed. Guru dashed behind the console on the center platform just narrowly missing getting hit by blaster fire. The workers scurried like a disturbed nest of plasmabugs in search of cover. But Guru and his guards were quicker to recover, and they were soon delivering return fire at his former prisoners. 

"We've got less than eight minutes before this place blows," Luke yelled in Mara's ear over the deafening blasts of their blasters. 

"Well, then let's get out of here then," Mara replied through gritted teeth. 

"Where's Callista? We have to get her out too." 

"Callista's the whole reason we're in the mess in the first place!" Mara exclaimed. "She's the enemy, Luke!" 

"I can help her," he insisted. "I can turn her back to the light." 

"And then live happily ever after with her too, right?" she spat. She didn't even bother to conceal any of the hurt or betrayal she felt. She squeezed off a few more rounds and planted the shots in the chests of two guards. 

Luke threw her a surprised glance. "I have no intention of going back to Callista. I thought you knew that. I want to be with you." 

"Sure, and that's why you were kissing her in her quarters less than an hour ago." 

Mara refused to look at him and missed the guilty expression that passed over his face. "I thought you were dead," he replied weakly. "I had just lost another person I loved while at the same instant someone I had previously thought I had lost came back into my life. And now both of you are back." 

Mara didn't say anything for several long seconds. Her emotions warred within her. The scene in Callista's chambers flashed in her memory. A blaster shot rattled the crate next to her head, and she realized this was no time for discussion. "When this is all over, Skywalker, you are going to have to make a choice," she replied and squeezed off a few more rounds. 

"I've already made my choice," he said. "I want to be with you. I love _you_. But I would never forgive myself if I didn't help Callista back to the lightside of the Force." Mara threw him a skeptical look. So he added, "Besides, we don't need anymore dark Jedi trying to hunt us down." 

Mara had to agree with that, but she refused to give up the argument entirely. "What if she doesn't want to be saved?" she said coldly. "And if she doesn't, are you going to die trying?" 

"There is no try," he replied. 

Mara glared at him. 

"But you should get to your ship," he urged. "This place is going to blow in a matter of minutes. I don't think I could handle watching you die a second time." 

"Forget it, Skywalker. If you are going to die, it will be from me kicking your butt for all the crap you put me through. We're in this together." 

"Someone has to stop that transport from leaving Mt. Uzbira. They've already moved half the product. If even one gram of this drug makes it off planet, our enemies could replicate it and deliver it to Yavin IV. It would be disastrous for the Academy." 

Before Mara could reply, guttural growls on either side of them cut through the blaster noise. She felt her heart skip a beat. She knew that sound. She stared at the spaces between the towers of crates in the vicinity of the sound's origin. Something prowled behind the boxes, but she only caught brief glimpses of movement. She knew of only one animal that hunted Jedi. 

"They have vornskrs," she whispered hoarsely to Luke. 

Vornskrs were attracted by Force-strong prey. Guru's drug only made the Force untranslatable for Luke and Mara, it didn't expunge it in any way, which made things just that much more difficult for them. The beasts would be attracted to them, but wouldn't be able to use the Force to defend themselves. Mara gripped her blaster tighter, ready to shoot anything that snarled. The other guards had not let up on the blaster fire, and she was beginning to wonder how much longer the crates would hold up to their attack. 

"We have to move," Luke said tensely. "We won't accomplish anything if we stay pinned here." 

Mara nodded. "Alright. I'll go to Mt. Uzbira and stop the transport. But you'd better get the hell out of this mountain before it blows." 

"I will," he assured her. "I'll cover you until you reach the exit." Mara crouched and readied herself for a mad dash toward the exit, but he grabbed her arm before she could go. "I love you." He kissed her quickly, but passionately. "Be careful." 

"You too," she replied. Then she dashed from behind the safety of the crates ducking several blaster shots and dove behind another tower of boxes. She rolled and came up shooting, managing to hit one of the vornskr's in the chest. The beast stumbled, but continued its charge toward its prey. Mara took another shot and nailed it in the head. This time the vornskr fell and did not get up. 

Mara weaved between the maze of boxes, always keeping them between her and the deadly fire of the blasters. She duck, dove, rolled and leap-frogged her way to one of the ladders that led up to the next level. She began a quick ascent, but a blaster bolt hit the wall mere centimeters from her shoulder. She fell with a rain of pebbles back to the floor. She had to get to the next level in order to reach the exit, but the ladder left her out in the open. She looked for Luke. He saw her predicament and immediately set about giving her cover. Mara gripped one of the rungs on the ladder and waited for Luke. He popped out from behind the crates and made a mad dash in the opposite direction Mara had taken all the while firing like a madman at Guru's guards. A few of his shots hit the sensitive shield equipment, and alarms began to shriek. Several of the shield panels blocking the heat and noxious fumes failed. Mara took that small distraction and was up the ladder before a single shot was fired at her. 

Once on the next level, she hugged the wall and crept toward the exit. From her vantage point, she could see Luke below her exchanging blaster fire with Guru and his men. She longed to join him in the fight, but she knew that their fight would be for nothing if Guru managed to get the spice off-planet. She turned and had almost reached the exit when the door suddenly swung open. Behind it loomed Callista with a vengeful glare. 


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Note: Sorry about leaving you guys hanging. But after much procrastination and a pretty hefty writer's block, I think I'm about ready to finish my story. There is at least one more chapter left to go. Thank you for those who have stayed with me.

**Chapter 26**

Mara took an involuntary step back and out of range of Callista's lightsabre. 

"Not so fast, Jade," Callista snarled. She swung at Mara's mid-section. The blade narrowly missed its target but managed to knock the blaster from Mara's hand as she performed a backward hand spring to temporary safety.

"Callista, this is no time for a cat fight," Mara half-pleaded. She glanced around her for an escape, but her evasive maneuvers had forced her onto one of the catwalks. There was no place to run, and Callista was still coming at her. "We have to get out of here before the whole place becomes one huge melting pot," she tried again.

"You aren't going anywhere."

"You can't be serious. If that spice gets off-planet, the Jedi are as good as dead. How could you do that to people you used to consider your friends?"

"They were never my friends," Callista spat. "They took pity on me because I had lost my powers. They thought I was weak, that I was holding Luke back from using his powers to the fullest extent."

"That's not true," Mara insisted while searching frantically for a weapon. "No one made judgments on you. The Academy welcomes Jedi of all ability levels. Tionne and Corran Horn ­-"

Just then Callista unleashed a fury of slashes and jabs forcing Mara farther out on the catwalk and over the fiery chasm below. The lightsabre blade glanced off the metal railing of the catwalks showering the two women in sparks. The super-heated shards of metal briefly ignited the seeping gases from the volcano's belly causing small explosions above their heads. The stench was growing stronger as more and more shields failed, and Mara had to fight down a wave of nausea. Callista appeared to be unaffected and too consumed by her rage to notice the noxious fumes.

Mara knew she had to get off that catwalk. She couldn't fight Callista with no weapon and no Force abilities. Callista lunged at her again, and this time when Mara dodged, she hopped onto the railing and launched herself upward to grab the base of the crossing catwalk on the next level. Before Callista could cut her down, Mara swung her nimble body onto the platform. She glanced down and saw the determined looked on Callista's face just before the enraged woman followed Mara's lead and leaped onto the same catwalk. Mara used the few seconds she had to run to another catwalk another level up.

Callista remained on the lower level tracking Mara's movements. She ignited her lightsabre again and swiped at the catwalk above her severing the platform in two. The two halves began to swing away from each other. Mara stumbled, but managed to regain enough balance to jump to the other side. But the cables holding the catwalk had been damaged. Mara's extra weight was just enough to snap the weakened cable, tilting the entire catwalk at an almost perpendicular angle to the chasm. Mara slid on her belly down the walkway, the orange glow of the magma far below rushing up to meet her. She dug in her fingers on the perforated surface of the walk and winced as the metal tore her skin. 

Callista watched with eager anticipation for Mara to complete her deadly slide, but just as Mara's legs plummeted over the edge, she managed to find a hand hold. Mara's arm muscles strained as she gently pulled herself back up the walk trying to distribute her weight as mush as possible on the unstable catwalk. Callista slapped the railing in frustration and began looking for the quickest and safest way to continue her pursuit.

Meanwhile, Luke was fighting a battle on three fronts. Guru's men kept a steady rain of blaster fire on him, the vornskrs continued their predatory approach toward his location, and he wanted more than anything to step between the fight that had exploded between Mara and Callista several meters above him. He needed to get Mara a weapon though part of him was reluctant to endanger Callista that way. He fought to recognize any trace of the Callista he had once cared so much about, but all he could see was the monster her selfishness had created. He wanted to believe she could still come back to the lightside of the Force, but he knew Mara had been right; he needed to make a choice. If he wanted to see Mara live through this fight, she needed to be able to defend herself. He would just have to trust that she would take Callista alive. But first, he needed to get their lightsabres.

Suddenly a familiar feeling washed over him. Like the sun peeking out from behind heavy clouds, the Force began to trickle back into his being. Something was happening. The white noise that had occupied his mind began to sort itself out. He could feel a disturbance in the Force outside on the mountain. There was a sense of panic and a fight for survival. He glanced up at the catwalks and saw Mara pause and look around in wonder. She was regaining her Force abilities as well. 

Then Luke saw a flicker of light and movement on the far side of the laboratory. Through on of the far exits, he saw Annaïse, Rohney and several of the freed slaves march into the laboratory brandishing torches. He stared in amazement as they began to set fire to the stacks of crates within their reach. He then realized what he'd sensed a few moments earlier. They must have set the mountainside on fire to kill any of the anti-Force flowers. Along with the Force, hope filtered through his body as he realized how the tables had turned in their favor.

Luke turned his attention back to the battle at hand. Guru and the guards, distracted by the sudden blaze in the laboratory, suddenly found themselves locked in combat with new enemies. The former slaves, using stolen weapons and simple blunt objects attacked their captors with a fury that can only stem from a lifetime of cruel treatment and inhumane living conditions. Luke used this momentary distraction to use a Force-aided jump to catapult him onto the center platform where Guru had found cover. There was no mistaking the look of surprise and terror on Guru's face when he realized his captives had suddenly gained the upper hand.

Guru wildly squeezed off round after round of blaster shots at Luke, but all missed their mark. Luke had a look of serene calm on his face that was more terrifying than murderous look Guru had ever encountered. He looked to his guards for help, but realized he would get no aid from them. They had their own battles to contend with. Guru tried to back away from the approaching Jedi but found himself trapped by the console and the fiery pit below him.

Then Luke was upon him. With a simple wave of his hand, Luke sent the blaster flying over the edge of the platform. Guru tried to throw a punch in Luke's face, but the Jedi side-stepped him and knocked him ceremoniously onto the deck plating. Luke stooped and picked him up by his collar. Luke's hand shot out toward his midsection, and Guru flinched thinking he was about to get socked in the stomach. But Luke simply removed the lightsabres from Guru's belt and dropped the spice lord back onto the ground.

"Your slaving and spicing days are over, Guru," Luke said matter-of-factly. He then grabbed some nearby packing tape and tied Guru to the console. "Now don't you go anywhere," Luke said with a smile.

A crash from above tore Luke's attention from his captive. Callista had finally caught up with Mara, and Mara was frantically dodging a hungry lightsabre. Since Mara had regained her Force abilities, the fighting between the two women had intensified. Callista swung wildly at the cable holding the catwalk on which Mara stood. Mara leaped toward Callista's catwalk and used the Force to swing around a cable. She came up on Callista from behind and planted her feet in her back. Callista flew forward, but caught her momentum in a forward roll along the catwalk and sprung back onto her feet. 

Luke raced up the maze of stairs to get to the two women. Mara was fighting admirably, but she was still falling back. He then saw Callista brace herself as she severed the walkway in two. He was out of time. He sent a tendril of the Force to Mara. 

This time Mara was prepared for the jolt, but she still stumbled backward and landed on her back. Callista saw the opportunity to finish the fight and launched herself toward Mara. Mara shot her arm over the edge of the catwalk and felt her lightsabre sail through the air and connect with her hand. Callista was in mid-air with her lightsabre drawn ready to cut Mara in two. Mara brought her own lightsabre across her chest and used the Force to brace her arms as Callista came crashing down upon her. With sweat dripping down her forehead, Mara gave a mighty push physically and through the Force that send Callista flying back the way she came.

The catwalks swung away from each other with the force of the women's strength. Callista looked surprised, but she landed on her feet. Mara scrambled to her feet, brought her lightsabre into en garde position and dared Callista to attack. Callista realized she had lost whatever edge she had, but she refused to let Mara win. The catwalks continued to swing further away from each other. Both women charged at each other, leaped from the railings and met in the mid-air. Their lightsabres locked above their heads while they spun and fell several meters. A catwalk broke them apart, and they had to let go of each other and grasp the grid work of bars on the underside of the catwalk in order to keep from plummeting all the way down into the volcano's belly.

Both women glared at each other while hanging from opposite sides of the catwalk. Mara had anticipated that they would climb back onto the platform before resuming the fight and was surprised when Callista clipped her lightsabre to her belt and swung her feet toward Mara's midsection. Mara winced as Callista made contact, but managed to continue to hang on. She clipped her own lightsabre to her belt and used both hands to maneuver under the catwalk. Callista swung again, but Mara deflected the blow with her own powerful dancer's legs. She swung and grabbed onto another bar in an attempt to get into a better position to defend herself and possibly launch an offensive. Callista followed her movements and positioned herself to square off with Mara head-on.

Mara glanced down. They dropped to one of the lower levels, and the only to break their fall would be the burning magma far below. The nearest platform was several meters away. "Callista, you are going to kill both of us," she said through gritted teeth, trying to reason with woman.

"So be it," Callista replied simply. She swung her legs out, but Mara curled her body into a ball, and Callista only caught air. 

Mara uncurled and tried a swinging kick, but Callista swung away. Mara felt hampered in this fight. It would take very little to detach both women from the catwalk, but if she were the cause of Callista's death, Luke would probably never forgive her. Mara swung onto another bar farther away from Callista, but Callista continued her pursuit. Suddenly, her hand hit something hard, square and metal. She turned and saw the object she had hit; a small black box with a clock counting down the time. Five minutes and 28 seconds. Her eyes widened. She turned back to warn Callista, but found the woman less than a meter from her face. Callista had used Mara's distraction to advance on her, and she wrapped her legs around Mara's body before the other woman could do anything to stop her.

Callista tried to pull Mara off the bar with her legs, but Mara held on strong. When she realized her legs weren't enough, Callista let go of her own bar and clung to Mara's body. Mara's arms shook with fatigue and the added weight of Callista. 

"Callista, there's a bomb here!" Mara exclaimed.

"We won't be around long enough to see it go off," Callista countered and began yanking on Mara's arms.

"What about Luke?" Mara pleaded. "He won't leave without us. You'll be killing him to."

A look of sadness crossed Callista's face, but passed quickly. She looked right into Mara's eyes. "Then we can all die together," she said bitterly. Callista gave a giant tug, and Mara's strength finally gave out. But the warmth of the Force washed over her, and as she felt her fingers slip off the bar, she felt a pair of strong hands grasp her wrists.

"I'm not ready to die yet," Luke replied. "And I'm not ready to let either of you die either."

Callista looked up, surprised to see her former lover. She had been so intent on hunting her prey, that she had not even noticed Luke's approach. She looked back at Mara, but only saw a confident smile.

"Cutting it a little close aren't you, hon?" Mara lightly retorted to Luke.

"You know me," he replied.

Just then an explosion shook the mountain, and the platform they were on violently jolted. Mara felt Luke's grasp slip, but not before he swung them down to another catwalk. Mara hit the walk first and used their momentum to send Callista flying once more. Once Luke had regained his balance, he leaped onto their catwalk and helped Mara to her feet. Mara searched for the cause of the explosion. At first, she thought the bomb had gone off ahead of time, but then she saw the fire the freed slaves had started. The blaze was igniting hidden pockets of gases. From below, a rolling tremor coursed through the mountain and the temperature began to rise drastically.

"I don't think the volcano liked that little explosion," Mara said.

"We'd better get out of here," Luke replied.

Mara nodded and the two turned to where Callista had fallen, but the spot was empty. Luke moved to go after her, but halted when Mara put a hand on his arm.

"She'll find away out," Mara said. "We need to get these other people out of here."

Luke looked grim, but he agreed. Together they raced back up to the level where most of the fighting was dwindling down to a few skirmishes.

"Everyone get out of here!" Luke shouted. "This place is gonna blow any minute!"

Luke glanced back to where he had left Guru tied up, and realized the spot was empty. He tracked down Annaïse and Rohney. "Did you see where Guru got off to?"

Rohney growled and barked a response, nodding toward the exit to the house.

"The house?" Luke repeated.

"A few of the slaves followed him," Annaïse added.

"We need to get these people to safety," Mara reminded them.

"We'll get these people out through the south exit," Annaïse volunteered. "You guys take care of the others."

"Thanks," Luke replied. "And, hey, guys, thanks for the save."

"We can thank each other later," Annaïse replied with a smile. "Just remember, the clock is ticking."

Mara agreed. "Come on, we've got to move quickly." 

Luke nodded and they took off at a run for the house.


	27. Chapter 27

****

Chapter 27 

Luke and Mara disappeared through the passage that led to the hidden door behind Guru's study. Their lightsabres' hum echoed down the dank passageway and illuminated several cracks that had recently appeared in the walls. Several tons of debris scattered over the ground where huge chunks of ceiling had become dislodged. 

"If Threepio were here, he'd probably tell us this passage wasn't entirely stable," Luke quipped. 

"Our situation is dire enough without bringing Goldenrod into it," Mara retorted. 

Luke flashed her a smile, but it quickly vanished when a violent tremor shook several fist-sized rocks from the dilapidated ceiling. Mara's danger sense flashed in the back of her mind, and she pulled Luke and herself against the wall as a large boulder dislodged and planted itself where they had been standing. The cavern continued to shake, and the two Jedi had to struggle to remain on their feet. Mara eyed the ceiling warily. The small fissures were rapidly branching out and joining others along the walls and ceiling. She turned to Luke to warn him about the eminent cave-in but instead of dodging falling rocks, he was standing serenely relaxed against a wall with his eyes half closed. 

"I think now would be a good time to get out of this deathtrap," he said in a faraway voice. He looked relaxed, but Mara saw the beads of sweat gathering at his temples. Luke would not be able to keep the mountain from crashing in on them for much longer. She grabbed his hand, offering to join her strength with his and immediately felt a wave of gratitude from him. 

"Okay, Farmboy, you just concentrate on keeping the passage clear, and I'll get us out of here," she said. He gave her an imperceptible nod, and they dashed up the rest of the passageway to the hidden door. Not bothering to figure out the strange locking mechanism, Mara jabbed her lightsabre into lock and sliced through the metal as if it were shimmersilk. The door groaned as she kicked it open. Then they dove through the opening as another tremor even more violent than the last swept through the passageway. Luke released his hold on the ceiling and the mountain poured itself into the space destroying any evidence that it ever existed. 

"I guess we won't be going back that way," Luke said, picking himself off the floor and lending Mara a hand up. "Thanks for the extra juice." 

"Anytime. Besides, I figured we'd just stroll out the front door anyway," Mara replied. 

"You would." 

Mara rolled her eyes and planted brief kiss on his lips, then surveyed the office. The mountain's protests had a clear impact on Guru's mansion. Books and art pieces lay haphazard on the floor, there were cracks in the plaster along the walls, and they could see into the room above them through a hole in the ceiling. Mara tried the power switch only to find that all power in the room, and probably the mansion, had been knocked out. Stepping out into the hallway, they found much of the same. Shards of glass from the large, picturesque windows littered the floor. The air was thick with dust from the debris, and the only light filtering through the haze came from the first rays of dawn breaking over the ocean. 

"So do you think Callista and Guru are hiding out together?" Mara asked. 

Luke shook his head. "I doubt it. They didn't seem to be on friendly terms last I saw them together. But if they want us to perish with them, they might be hiding out to keep us here. They would've known I couldn't leave anyone behind to die." 

"That's what I hate about being a good guy," Mara retorted. "We're always so damn predictable. You know, we could just let them get themselves out of this mess." 

Luke cocked an eyebrow at her. 

"Alright, so where do propose we start looking? And remember the clock is ticking." Before Luke could reply, a crash echoed through the mansion originating from the grand reception chamber. "Or we could simply walk into an obvious trap." 

"Hey, it's what the good guys do," Luke elbowed her. "We'll just have to outsmart them." 

"Walking right into their hands isn't what I would call smart," Mara argued. The she gave a sigh of resignation. "Let's go." 

With their lightsabres in defensive positions, Luke and Mara entered the reception chamber. The room had been hit as hard as the rest of the house. Several of the decorative columns had been knocked loose and now lay like over-sized blocks on the floor. There were too many places to hide in the room, and it made Mara uneasy. She reached out with her Force senses, searching for any other person in the room. She could feel Luke clearly, and he was doing the same. But she could detect no other being. If Callista were in the room, she was doing a superb job of masking her Force signature. Guru had no such skills, so Mara surmised that he must have escaped into another part of the house. She began to form a question to send to Luke through the Force, but he quickly shook his head and brought his finger to his lips. Obviously he was worried about eavesdroppers, even Force-sensitive eavesdroppers. Instead, he motioned for her search the right side of the room while he searched the left. 

Luke disappeared around a still erect column, and Mara wound through the mess of fallen potted trees. The room was quiet. Too quiet. She could feel a pair of eyes on her, tracking her, stalking her. Her grip tightened on her lightsabre, and her muscles tensed in preparation for a fight. She tried to open her senses as wide as possible. A rustle in one of the shrubs behind her caught her attention, and she whirled around to defend herself. But no one was there. She turned back around to continue her search and too late saw the fist sailing through the air. Callista's punch connected with her jaw and sent her reeling backward with stars in her eyes. Mara had no time to reorient herself before Callista grabbed her from behind and brought her lightsabre up to her throat. She kicked Mara's lightsabre sending it flying over a pile of rubble. 

"Callista, DON'T!" Luke shouted. He appeared from behind a tall, squat statue. "You don't want to do this." 

"You don't know what I want," Callista spat. 

"This is getting really lame, Callista," Mara gasped, blood running down the side of her mouth. "Don't you think this is a little immature?" 

Callista tightened her grip around Mara chest, constricting her breathing. "Shut up!" 

"Callista, this isn't you. You are better than this," Luke tried again. He stepped slowly closer. 

"Get back!" Callista screeched. "I'm through with both of you! I'm through with Guru, through with the whole galaxy! It's not FAIR!" 

"Of course it's not fair," a new voice said softly. All three jerked their heads toward the newcomer. Annaïse confidently strode toward Callista and stopped only when she was a mere meter from her and her captive. 

"You!" Callista's eyes had widened with shock, fear, anger and something more. 

"Life's not fair," Annaïse stated matter-of-factly. "You used to know this. You used to know that life requires sacrifices. Sometimes in matters of finance, other times in matters family or of the heart, sometimes even with the sacrifice of a life. You knew this better than anyone. Our lives are about sacrifice, Callista. You chose to sacrifice yourself for the greater good, for the good of the galaxy." 

Luke and Mara stared dumbfounded at Annaïse. Mara had a gut feeling that when Annaïse said "our lives" she wasn't speaking philosophically. But to whom she was referring, Mara had no clue. 

"If I had known what it would've cost me, I never would have agreed," Callista replied, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. 

"Perhaps not," Annaïse agreed. "But the girl I knew then would have gladly given her life to save a billion others. And you accomplished that. You prevented anyone from using the Eye of Palpatine, an action that would have cost the galaxy billions of innocent lives." 

"And what thanks did I receive for that service? I was just expected to disappear. I was a ghost and given up for gone. I deserved to live. I deserved a chance at a life." 

"You are a guardian, Callista. A Guardian of Light. I know you still understand what that means on some level, for you still wear the talisman." Annaïse pointed to the pendant dangling from a chain around Callista's neck. Annaïse pulled a chain from under her cloak to reveal a matching pendant. The symbols matched the one on the artifact that had started the entire adventure. 

"The Force brought you back to the beginning," Luke said, his voice only a bare whisper. 

"Yes," Annaïse replied, the she turned again to Callista. "You thought you were orchestrating it all, but the Force has brought you back to the beginning, back to this planet, back to us. It was here that you left us to guard the ship so many years ago, and it is here that I release you from your charge. You have been living on borrowed time, Callista, and it is now time to move on. Don't undo all the good you have done with this act of cruel selfishness. Our mission is to protect all that is good in this universe." 

The tears were now running freely down Callista's cheek. Her grip on Mara relaxed, and she disengaged her lightsabre. Mara moved cautiously away, anticipating another attack. Callista looked deflated and aged. But the spark had not completely gone from her eyes. She looked at Annaïse and half pleaded with her. "I'm not ready to leave. I barely had the chance to live." 

"Just because you must die, doesn't mean you won't live," Annaïse replied cryptically. "There are many wonders outside of this life. But I will not force you to leave. You must do this of your own free will." 

"I hate to interrupt this reunion," Mara said, "but we only have about a minute before this whole place becomes one big fire ball." 

"You're right," Annaïse said. "Come let's get out of here." Luke put an arm around Mara, who grudgingly accepted the support and they followed Callista and Annaïse on a hasty retreat to the front door. But they had not even made it out of the reception chamber when suddenly Mara halted and asked, "Where's my lightsabre?" Then she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Guru, with a ysalamiri strapped to his back, leaped from behind a column with Mara's lightsabre ignited and aimed straight at Callista. Quick as lightning, Luke ignited his lightsabre, locked it into the "on" position and hurled it through the air at Guru. The blade sliced through Guru's neck, effectively lopping off his head, and planted itself into the ysalamiri killing it as well. Unfortunately, the momentum of Guru's body and lightsabre continued toward Callista. Mara launched herself at Callista to knock her out of the way, but tripped on a broken piece of statue. She managed to shove Callista out of the way, but could not escape the bite of her own lightsabre as it pierced through her middle. 

Luke felt Mara's surprise before he felt the pain. She stood a few meters in front of him, her lightsabre pierced through her chest. "Mara! NO!" He was at her side in a split second to catch her body as she sank limply to the ground. There was no blood. The lightsabre had cauterized the wound as it entered her. But he could feel her life force fading fast. 

"Luke," Mara began weakly, but the effort made her cough. Blood began to trickle slowly down the side of her mouth. He cradled her in his arms and wiped the blood away. 

"Don't try to talk," he whispered, his voice wavering in the effort to remain calm. He reached out through the Force to try to put her into a healing trance until they could get to a medical facility, but she kept slipping away from him. 

"Don't shush me when I'm dying," she replied lightly, but the tears streaming down her cheeks belied the agony she felt. She reached up to clasp his hand. "I need to tell you -" she began coughing again. 

"You're not going to die. Please, Mara, just hold on," he begged, his own tears falling lightly on her face. 

She ignored him. "I love you." Her voice faltered again, but this time with emotion. With every ounce left of her strength, he could feel her open her mind as wide as possible, letting him see every secret, every feeling. He could feel her love for him wrap around him like a warm blanket. He was her best friend, her confidant, and she had fallen completely in love with him. He could feel her seeking for something else too, forgiveness. "I'm so sorry, Luke." 

He was truly surprised. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he soothed. He brushed her hair away from her face. 

"I'm sorry I wasted so much time, and I'm sorry to break my promise," she continued weakly. "I love you." 

He bent down to kiss her lightly on her lips. Her grip on his hand loosened and finally fell to the ground. "No, Mara!" he choked. "You can't leave me, too." He reached out again to hold on to her life force, but it was like trying to stop the receding ocean. Her light, once bright and full of life, faded, grew dull, then eventually disappeared all together. Luke shook his head, refusing to let go. He shook her shoulders slightly. "Mara, come back! I need you. You have to wake up. I love you." The last words came out as more of a sob, but she remained unresponsive. 

The first of the explosives began to rumble through the secret passages and hallways in the mansion, but Luke paid no attention to them. He pulled Mara close to him and cried into her hair. She had sacrificed herself to save someone she didn't even like. Once again, whatever curse had been placed over his head had claimed yet another that he loved. Well, she would be the last. He sat with her on the floor while the explosions grew nearer. He could feel the tremors in the ground and pieces of plaster and transparisteel were beginning to fall from the ceiling and walls. He didn't care. He would stay with Mara through the end. 

A small hand rested wearily on his shoulder. Through the light touch he felt a wave of sadness, regret and remorse. "I'm so sorry, Luke," Callista whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "This is all my fault, my doing. And after everything I put you both through, she still saved my life." 

Luke shrugged off her hand. He couldn't stand to look at his former lover. Anger and the Force warred within him as he absorbed Mara's death. He tried to fight down the anger boiling up from the pit of his stomach. He wanted to blame Callista, tell her she was right and to go to hell. But he also knew that to do that would be to start down the path to the dark side. 

"She didn't become one with the Force," a child-like voice whispered close to his ear, jerking him out of his inner turmoil. 

His head jolted up, and he looked into Annaïse's compassionate eyes. It was yet another blow. Mara had been so close to becoming a Jedi. As her body was still there, it was obvious she had not succeeded. She should have disappeared by now, become one with the Force. 

"I should've known that nothing less than death could get her to finally let down her barriers," Annaïse quipped. 

Luke glared at her. "Just leave us." 

She smiled and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Every Jedi has to make a sacrifice. Mara made the greatest one of all." 

Out of the corner of his eye, Luke saw Callista look away in shame. 

"If she's a Jedi, then why is her body still here?" he demanded. 

"The Force brought you and Mara together to fulfill a destiny. That destiny is not yet fulfilled. Your love for each other is what will save us all." With that cryptic prophesy spoken, turned to her former pupil. 

Callista finally found the courage to look her teacher in the eye. Taking a deep breath, she nodded to Annaïse and said, "It's time." 

Annaïse smiled her approval and encouragement. Luke missed the exchange; once again he was focused completely on Mara's still body. Callista knelt down to the couple and touched Luke's hand. This time he did not shrug her off, but met her sorrowful gray gaze with his own blue one. 

"I'm sorry," she said with as much feeling as she could muster. "And, I did love you, Luke. But I wish you and Mara all the best." 

Luke opened his mouth to throw a stinging retort in her face, but was silenced, when Callista closed her eyes, bent down and placed a hand over Mara's cauterized wound. The area around her hand began to glow white. Then the glow spread up Callista's arm and across Mara's body. Luke could feel the Force enveloping them in its power. It blocked out everything, the fortress, the explosions. He could feel the Force enter Mara's body and her life force sparked. It began as a small speck of light, then it continued to grow stronger. 

Callista pulled her hand away and stood. She no longer looked like Cray Mingla, but the ghost of the woman Luke had met on the Eye of Palpatine. Her body glowed white with the power of the Force. She began to fade. Before she completely dissolved, she smiled down at Luke. "Love each other well, and may the Force be with you." Then she was gone. 

Luke stared after her not quite believing what he had just witnessed. He turned to Annaïse for answers, but discovered the little creature had vanished as well. Suddenly, he felt Mara twitch and all thoughts of Annaïse and Callista flew out of his head. His only concern was for the woman lying in his arms. "Mara?" he cried, trying not to shake her. He was shaking himself. She groaned slightly. "Mara, you're alive!" He wrapped his arms around her in a fierce hug. Then he planted kissed on every square centimeter of her face, ending with a lingering kiss on her lips. 

"You've got some sick turn-ons, Skywalker," she retorted hoarsely when he pulled away enough for her to breathe easier. "What is it with you and dead women?" 

Luke could only laugh half-hysterically. Tears streaming down his cheeks but this time in happiness. "Oh, Mara, I thought I'd lost you - again. Please don't ever do that to me again. I love you." 

Mara smiled and returned the embrace. "I love you, too, farmboy." A loud explosion brought them back to the real world. "What's say we postpone this little reunion until we get clear of the blast? I've already died once today, and that was enough." 

"Not funny," he responded, but he couldn't keep the smile from his face. He pulled himself to his feet, then scooped Mara up into his arms and began to run toward the exit. He ignored her small cry of protest. Then her eyes widened when she realized Annaïse and Callista were not with them. She opened her mouth to ask Luke, but he cut her off. 

"It's a long story, but they already made it out," he informed her. 

They made it outside the house and down the trail to the bridge before half the fortress burst into flames. The impact of the blast wave nearly sent both them sprawling, but Luke was determined to get them both off the mountain alive. 

"I can run on my own, Skywalker," Mara insisted. "Yeah, but are you strong enough to swim?" 

Mara groaned. "I'm beginning to really hate water." She had no time for further complaints as Luke unceremoniously dumped her over the side. She hit the water only seconds before he did. Remembering that he couldn't swim, she slipped an arm across his chest and began paddling as hard as she could for the opposite bank. She had no desire to visit the waterfall again. 

Several birds rose in unison from the perches in the surrounding trees turning the sky into a swirling mass of black specks. But in just as many seconds, the flocks soared away from the mountain, their survival instincts telling them to get clear. Then, in a deafening blast, half of the mountain disintegrated showering everything in a ten kilometer radius with rock and ash. Mara and Luke had to duck several times to avoid flying debris, but managed to remain unscathed. 

"Hey!" someone shouted from several meters down the bank. Mara made out one of the former slaves waving wildly for them to swim his way. Next to him, two small wooden boats were tied to a rock. "I thought you guys could use some transportation," he indicated the boats when they were within hearing range. 

Mara and Luke dragged themselves out of the river and gave the man a grateful smile. "Thanks, that would be great," Mara replied. She glanced back at the mountain that was spewing red hot lava down its slopes. 

"There's a ladder used by fish to swim upstream on the left side of the falls," the slave explained. "You should be able to navigate safely down the falls that way. There is a village about a day's float down the river. We thought we'd stay there until transport arrives to take us off planet. You can meet us there if you like, and we will gladly pay your passage. It's the least we can do to repay you for our freedom." 

"No payment is necessary," Luke replied, wrapping his arm around Mara's waist. "We'll meet you at the village, but we'd better hurry if we want to outrun the lava wave and make it to Mt. Uzbira to stop any of those crates from getting off planet." 

As if on cue, another sound joined that of the rumbling mountain. The trio looked up to the sky. The low thrumming of a freighter engine grew steadily louder until a familiar form shot over them. The Millennium Falcon was a sight for sore eyes, and both Luke and Mara breathed a sigh of relief. Luke pulled out a small, short distance comm unit from his pocket. He typed in Han's standard frequency. 

"Han, ol' buddy, do you read me?" he said into the static. 

There was a momentary pause, then, "Hey, kid, this is some vacation spot you picked! You okay?" 

"We're fine. But you have to keep the Imperials from getting off planet with their cargo." 

"No problem. Rogue Squadron's giving that star destroyer a run for its credits. So you guys want some rescuing or what?" 

Luke and Mara exchanged playful looks. "That's alright, Han," Luke replied. "We're fine. Go ahead and take care of the Imperials. You can come rescue us at these coordinates in a few days." 

"A few days?" Han repeated incredulously. "We'll have it in the bag in a few hours." 

Mara chose that moment to snatch the comm from Luke. "You'll want to be very thorough with the clean up, Solo," she said forcefully. 

Han's chuckle floated over the comm channel. "Yep, it will probably take a few days. May the Force be with you." 

Luke pocketed the comm unit, and the slave, who had overheard everything, glanced slyly at the two of them. "I'll go on ahead, you two take your time." With a broad smile, he pushed his boat into the water and quickly disappeared around a bend in the river. 

"Do you think that was a hint?" Mara asked. 

"Hey, I'll take what I can get," he replied, wrapping his other arm around her and kissing her passionately. 

"Hon, the mountain's spitting fire, and I don't think standing in its targeting range is a smart idea," Mara pulled away and chided him playfully. 

"Okay, escape fiery death first," Luke agreed. 

They pushed their boat into the water, picked up the wooden paddles and began to steer toward the ladder. It was a bumpy ride down several stages of cascading water, but it was much better than plummeting head first over the main channel. Once at the bottom, they sat back and let the current take them toward their destination. Neither noticed the passing scenery as they were lost in each other. They wrapped their arms around each other vowing to never let go again, and indulged in a deep kiss. Suddenly a thought struck Luke and he pulled away. 

"What is it?" Mara asked worriedly. 

He paused for a second before answering. "Your not my long lost cousin or anything are you?" 

Mara laughed. "Well, Vader and my aunt were really close for awhile, and the blood tests never came back -" 

Luke cut her off with a kiss, and she soon forgot her teasing. 

The End

  
Author's Note: Thank you all for staying with me through this very long process. And thank you for the wonderful feedback. I hope you all enjoyed the story. 


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